From the Ashes Begin Anew
by bykim0120
Summary: Jaenyx Belaerys is the last of House Belaerys. With the survival of his people and that of Valyria at risk, he journeys to Dragonstone, where he meets the Targaryens. There, he will find friendship, love, and the will to begin anew. Set a decade before Aegon's Conquest.
1. Jaenyx I

**Hi! This is my first time pursuing a major story on Fanfiction and I have decided to have setting be around the time of Aegon's Conquest. Inspiration for this story partially came from THE MIGHT OF HOUSE BELAERYS by Suna-Puppet-Master, and there haven't been many ASOIAF/GOT fics that I am aware of that take place during Aegon's conquest. This is an interesting period, but we don't really have fully-fleshed out personalities besides what the legends tell us of Aegon, Visenya, Rhaenys, and Orys. I also want to explore the implications of there being another dragonlord besides the Targaryens, which I would like to take a step further into. Through the OC in this fic, I would like explore the human characteristics of the Targaryens prior to the Conquest, as legends made them more ideal than they should be. **

**Also, this being my first time pursuing a major story, I may not have the necessary skills to imbue the humanity that the ASOIAF/GOT canon haven't really given to these characters. Being a recent entry into GOT/ASOIAF fandom might also hinder how I write this. So, any constructive critique and suggestions for this story is welcome, but I would appreciate if y'all took it easy on me. If any of you can recommend a good Valyrian translation or someone who is, plx let me know. **

**With that, enjoy! :)**

JAENYX I

He gazed upon the sea below him as the air rushed on his face. The summer years brought calm and he found some peace from seeing upon the sea extending from horizon to horizon. No past, no future, and no memory could be found within the limitless water. More peace than he had found in the last few years.

He saw Cloudwynd's head turn slightly towards him, his constant companion occasionally flapping her wings to maintain their glide through the sky. He felt her concern for him, knowing when he would enter his brooding self. Dragons were passionate and took what they want, but the past few years have not been kind to him or his people, all of which Cloudwynd witnessed.

"_Everything will be alright, girl_," he reassured in High Valyrian as he took his hand off one of her spines and reached forward to rub her neck, her bluish-greenish scales glistening in the sunlight. He got a snort from her in response, not really satisfied with his answer but decided to accept it. His only concern right now was to fly towards his destination, to ensure his people's safe passage.

Beneath him were vessels ferrying those he was charged with towards their new destination, the last bastion for their people. Fifty ships carrying barely two thousand five hundred men, women, and children across water over four moon turns. Remnants of a great civilization long extinguished from the memory of those that now took their place. The land prowess of the Valyrian army through the Tarareons, cavalrymen and explorers who could boast about expanding the Freehold's reach without the dragons. Valyria's knowledge of blood magic, healing, and other rituals preserved through the Leniars. Lastly, the Rahitheons' skill as smiths, builders, and engineers preserved the wonders of Valyrian technology. The survival of their civilization and culture rested on all of them and one misstep could see the flame of Valyria die out for good.

And then there was himself. Barely ten and nine, Jaenyx was the last scion of the Belaerys', one of the oldest and most powerful dragonlord families in old Valyria. A family that had great figures such as Jaenara Belaerys, the famed explorer of Sothoryos, included in their ancestry. Prompted by Valyria's leaders to recolonize the Basilisk Isles, the Belaerys' settled at the edge of Sothoryosi wilderness along with three other Valyrian families, all of whom could not hope to survive the dangers of that continent by themselves. Previous attempts to colonize the Basilisk Isles, seen as a first step towards further expansion south, had ended in failure. Yet, the new colony thrived under the Belaerys' stewardship. Being in the Basilisk Isles was what saved the colonists from the Doom.

Unfortunately, despite nearly a century of inhabiting the Isles, a recent turn of events had put their people in dire circumstances and the Isles were no longer safe for them. Despairing over the coming extinction of Valyria, Jaenyx remembered that there was one other place that they could journey towards, a place where a certain dragonlord had fled to after his daugther's now prophetic warning about the destruction of the Freehold: Dragonstone.

Jaenyx could only hope that the brood of Aenar Targaryen were still alive at Dragonstone. He decided to take it upon himself to arrive at Dragonstone ahead of his people in order to prevent alarming the Targaryens. The captain of his vessel "Wave Crasher", a Tarareon, protested his decision and urged him to stay alongside the people he led.

"_I understand your concern and I thank you for reminding me of my duty_," Jaenyx said. "_However, the Targaryens are dragonlords and seeing another dragonlord would help make our arrival at Dragonstone much smoother than if all of us were to appear over the horizon. We do not want them to see us as invaders and set their dragons upon us._"

"_You don't even know if the Targaryens are still there_," the Tarareon responded. "_Not to mention if they even have their dragons_."

Jaenyx nodded in agreement. "_You're right. I don't know. But it is a chance we have to take. The Basilisk Isles are not safe for us anymore and we can't go back to the Freehold or any of the colonies throughout Essos. We only have one grown dragon and barely one thousand men who could fight. We have to go to Dragonstone and I have to be the first to appear there_."

The Tarareon captain let out a heavy sigh. "_I hope you know what you are doing. You're our leader. If you fall, we all fall. The survival of Valyria rests on your shoulders_."

Jaenyx grasped his shoulder tightly. "_It rests on __**our**_ _shoulders, captain. No one is more important and I certainly can't ensure the continuation of our civilization without you or the Leniars or the Rahitheons. We either stand together or we shall into the abyss._"

The two tightly clasped their hands together. "_Just come back to us, my lord. That's all we need._" Jaenyx promised with a nod.

After a few hours flying north, Jaenyx saw land ahead. _Finally, Westeros_. He saw sheer cliffs and the sea pounding violent against them, thick forests covering the cliff tops. From his rather scant knowledge of Westeros, he assumed that these were the lands ruled by the Durrandon Storm Kings. That meant that he had to travel further north towards a body of water called the Blackwater Bay, with Dragonstone sitting at its eastern edge towards the narrow sea.

Jaenyx had just entered the bay when he heard a familiar sound in the distance. _A dragon roar_, he thought. "_Faster, girl! We're almost there_," he urged on to Cloudwynd in High Valyrian. For the first time in years, he felt hope enter his heart.

Sensing her rider's glee, Cloudwynd beat her wings and climbed higher. Within moments, a mountainous island came into view. Jaenyx could smell the volcanic ash from far off, a welcoming change of scent from the sea and especially the Sothoryos wilderness.

What drew his attention, however, was the dragon that was flying above a part of the island. As he flew closer, Jaenyx began to appreciate the size of the dragon. Larger than Cloudwynd by a wing length, this dragon had black scales, black wings, and a huge mouth. He assumed that this dragon had several decades to grow, more time than Cloudwynd who was born in the Basilisk Isles.

He then noticed a man atop the black dragon. The dragon turned its head towards Cloudwynd, finally noticing the presence of another dragon. Its rider turned his head in the same direction as his dragon, also noticing Cloudwynd and Jaenyx. The black dragon roared in greeting, which Cloudwynd returned. The two dragons flew in a circle with each other as if to size up the other. Jaenyx kept his eyes on the rider, their purple eyes focused on one another.

After the standoff lasted a few circles, the black dragon's rider cocked his head towards the island, signalling Jaenyx to follow him. Jaenyx followed the rider and the black dragon to a clearing between the island's mountains. There, he saw two more dragons resting in the clearing and two women next to them, who were alerted to the newcomer. The black dragon, the larger and more imposing of the now three dragons, landed next to them and its rider sliding off to stand close to the women.

"_Land, girl. Not too far from the other dragons,_" Jaenyx urged Cloudwynd. The blue-green dragon complied and set down upon a patch of grass across from the other three dragons. Cloudwynd roared at the three dragons, with them roaring back in response.

Though not as large as the black dragon, the other two dragons were still an impressive sight for Jaenyx. One had bright orange scales mixed with gray. The other, larger than the orange one but still smaller than the black one, had silver scales. All stared down at their purple guest and her rider.

As for Jaenyx, he exchanged looks with the man and the women. The man was tall, broad-shouldered, and muscular in appearance. His thick arms, toned midsection, and powerful legs evident despite his rather loose red tunic and black trousers. He had a defined jawline, hair that grew past his ears, and piercing eyes. He also had a sword belt, its simple black leather handle, twin dragon heads on the hilt, and large ruby visible.

For the two women, Jaenyx found them to be very beautiful. One was tall, dressed in a long ring-mail and leather dress, and her hair tied in an elaborate braid. This one possessed a rather harsh beauty, clearly more muscled and giving off a rougher edge than the woman next to her. Like the man, she had a sword belt, its dragon cross-guard and single ruby in the hilt glowing in the daylight.

The other woman, just as beautiful as the sword-carrying one, was more slender and graceful. Wearing a pair of leather trousers and shirt with a long summer dress over them, she seemed to be more dainty and delicate than the first one and had her hair loose over her shoulders. She also seemed to be more tense than the other two, who had their hands ready to draw their swords from their scabbards at him.

Far from being nervous, Jaenyx was relieved from coming across these three. They had the traditional Valyrian looks of purple eyes and silver hair. He could also sense the dragonblood in them, as Cloudwynd was considerably less hostile with them than when she was with others. He was not alone after all and his decision to come to Dragonstone had been a good one.

"Stay where you are, trespasser," the man ordered, taking a combat stance. "Who are you and why are you here?" Jaenyx noticed his grip on his sword became tighter, with the sword-carrying woman following suit.

_Curious. They're speaking the common tongue_, Jaenyx thought. Some of his people could speak the common tongue and while he himself could understand it, he could not speak it. He never saw the usefulness for it, until now.

Resisting the urge to grab for his own swords tucked on his left side, their black silk handles and bronze circle hilts visible for the three other dragonriders to see, Jaenyx raised his hands to indicate his peaceful intentions.

"_I mean no harm, fellow dragonriders_," he began while hoping that they retained understanding of High Valyrian. "_I am Jaenyx Belaerys, Lord of the Basilisk Isles, Dragonlord, and rider of the dragon Cloudwynd. I come here with the hope of speaking with the Lord of Dragonstone on behalf of my people_."

Jaenyx saw their eyes widen in shock. The young man withdrew from his combat stance and gave his companions a nod before relaxing and taking his hand off his sword's handle. The woman next to him also put her hand away from her sword, but not before narrowing her eyes in confusion and suspicion.

"Forgive me, my lord. We were just being cautious. I am Aegon of House Targaryen of Dragonstone, Dragonlord, and rider of the dragon Balerion," the man stepped forward and gave Jaenyx a nod, who was relieved that they at least understood High Valyrian. He turned to the two women next to him, gesturing them to introduce themselves.

The sword-carrying woman stepped forward, her hand still on the pommel. "I am Visenya of House Targaryen of Dragonstone, Dragonlord, and rider of the dragon Vhagar." She kept her piercing gaze on Jaenyx.

As for the other woman, her eyes were focused on Cloudwynd, marveling at the fine specimen before her. "I am Rhaenys of House Targaryen of Dragonstone, Dragonlord, and rider of the dragon Meraxes." She started walking towards Cloudwynd and turned to Jaenyx with a smile. "What is your dragon's name?"

Jaenyx smiled back, noticing her wonder at his dragon. "_Her name is Cloudwynd, Rhaenys of House Targaryen. You could pet her if you want_."

Rhaenys' smile grew before she turned back and ran her hand on Cloudwynd's snout. She gave a snort in appreciation, always basking in the attention of others, especially those with dragonblood.

Jaenyx looked back to Aegon and Visenya. "_It appears Cloudwynd likes your sister, if all of you are siblings. Am I correct?_"

Aegon nodded. "You are. Visenya here is the oldest, I'm our father's only son, and Rhaenys is the youngest. Now, you said that you came here on behalf of your people. Who and where are they?"

Here it goes, Jaenyx thought. "_Well, Aegon of House Targaryen, I rather save the details for when I speak to the Lord of Dragonstone, if he's still alive. But for now, all you need to know is that my people are further south and enroute to Dragonstone as we speak. I come to negotiate sanctuary for them and I believe that negotiations would be smoother if the Targaryens first saw another dragonlord._"

Aegon crossed his arms, contemplating the situation. Although these three seemed friendly enough and their dragons were not openly hostile to him, Jaenyx remained alert. He could probably subdue one in single combat, probably also take on the other. However, he and Cloudwynd were outnumbered and he didn't like his chances of coming out of a fight if it came to that. He hoped that things didn't turn out that way.

Aegon took a moment before turning to Visenya and whispering to her ear. She nodded and turned back to her dragon Vhagar, but not before giving Jaenyx another wary look. She and Vhagar flew off, away from the mountain clearing.

"I sent my sister back to our family keep to let our father know of your presence. Do not worry, my lord," Aegon stated. Jaenyx relaxed, relieved that the situation did not escalate. "Although I must admit that I'm confused by your appearance here. We believed that House Targaryen was the only dragonlord family remaining after the Doom. Why have you decided to come here now?"

"_That, Aegon of House Targaryen, is a story that I would rather share before your lord father. I mean no disrespect, but I would have all of you present when I do explain my presence here_."

Aegon nodded, accepting his answer. "That must quite a story all on its own. I love stories," Rhaenys remarked as she moved back next to her brother.

Jaenyx shifted uncomfortably. "_Indeed_," he managed.

Noticing his discomfort, Aegon reoriented the conversation. "I'm pretty sure that my sister has informed our father already. Let's start making our way there, my lord."

Janeyx nodded in affirmation. They all climbed on to their dragons and took to the air, Aegon and Rhaenys guiding him along the island's coast until an imposing black fortress came into view. He noticed that dragon forms covered the entire castle, from the towers to the gates, which made it look more like a nest of dragons. Black stones and dragon forms made the castle seem grim and eerie to any newcomer, but not for Jaenyx. He felt something from the castle calling to him, a familiar feeling pulling him towards its clutches. The castle, definitely built with Valyrian knowledge, felt welcoming to him.

Aegon and Rhaenys led Jaenyx to the castle's courtyard, which was large enough to hold all three dragons. Sliding down from Cloudwynd, Jaenyx rubbed her neck in assurance before hearing two massive metal doors cracking open. From the doors emerged Visenya and elderly man who Jaenyx assumed was their father and Lord of Dragonstone. Like Visenya, he had a stern face with a piercing gaze. However, unlike Visenya, he looked surprised at seeing not only another dragon but another dragonlord.

"_Welcome, Lord Belaerys of the Basilisk Isles, to Dragonstone. I am Aerion of House Targaryen, Lord of Dragonstone. On behalf of my house and from one dragonlord to another, I extend to you our hospitality_," he announced in High Valyrian and with open arms. He then gestured to an older man standing next to him, who came forward to Jaenyx with a plate of bread and a bowl of salt.

Jaenyx stared at the plate, unsure of what this meant. Apparently, Lord Aerion saw his confusion. "_In Westeros, it is custom for noble houses to offer guest rights to visitors with bread and salt. Once that has been offered and you eat them, you cannot be harmed for as long as you stay here._"

Jaenyx nodded in understanding. "_Ah, I see._" He looked at the plate again before tearing off a piece and dipping in salt. Seeing Lord Aerion silently confirming that he was doing it right, he put the bread in his mouth.

"_Excellent_," Aerion declared. "_If you would follow me, my lord, so we can discuss the nature of your visit here._"

"_Of course, my lord_," Jaenyx answered.

The hallways of Dragonstone were just like the fortresses in the Freehold that his parents described. He never actually set foot in one since he was born a century after the Doom occurred, with his family's fortress being simple in form since they couldn't afford to expend much effort in building an elaborate castle so close to the Sothoryosi wilderness. Statues of dragons and other magical creatures were carved into the black stone walls, which would have been disturbing to any common visitor. For Jaenyx, it felt like home since he could feel the presence of dragonlords within these very walls.

The hallways and the walls of the castle were decorated with tapestries, paintings, and suits of armor. Most of the tapestries depicted famous instances of dragon combat and the great events of Valyria's history. The armors were also befitting that of the dragonlords, with similar armors adorning his family's castle back in the Basilisk Isles. However, he saw that the armors were made of regular castle-forged steel instead of the Valyrian steel armors that his family's castle had. It didn't surprise him, as Valyrian steel had become rarer with the destruction of the Freehold. Well, at least to the rest of the world outside of the Isles, he thought.

Some of the paintings were of Targaryen dragonlords of the past and other events at Dragonstone. At the end of the hallway was a massive portrait of Aenar Targaryen, the man who moved his family from the Freehold to his desolate outpost. He was also the man who accidentally played a part in ensuring the survival of Valyria's dragonlords. Many dragonlords called him a fool for leaving and listening to the supposed delusions of his daughter, who he also saw a portrait of. Now look where his scoffers are, he mused.

The hallway led to a large hall, which Jaenyx guessed was where newcomers were greeted. There were two doors at opposite sides of the hall that opened to different parts of the castle and a massive metal chair at the end of the chair. It looked more like a throne to Jaenyx, as no lord's chair would be that big and have two dragons decorating the backrest. It gave off the impression that dragons were ever present to protect their lord.

Lord Aerion took his seat on the throne, with Visenya standing to his right and another large man already at his left. The man, with black hair, black eyes, and black beard that grew down to his chest, was more physically imposing than Aegon or Jaenyx. Taller, with thicker arms, broader shoulders, and long powerful legs, Jaenyx surmised that he would not win against him in a match of brawn. What drew his interest was that he could not feel as much dragonblood in this man than Lord Aerion or their children, which made him question on why he was next to the lord.

"Again, I welcome you into our home, Lord Belaerys," Lord Aerion started, switching to the common tongue. "I have to admit that I was skeptical of my daughter Visenya's words about another dragonlord appearing on our shores, but imagine my surprise and delight when I gazed upon you and your magnificent creature in the courtyard. Know that you are most welcome in our presence."

Getting a closer look at him, Jaenyx saw that the Lord of Dragonstone was thin, fragile, pale, and sickly. Although he had the silver hair and purple eyes prevalent among Valyrians, his hair was unkempt compared to his children and grew past his shoulders. He then noticed the shiny circle he wore, silvery in appearance and embedded with rubies and pearls. It added to the regal impression he gave off, which piqued Jaenyx's interest even more.

"_Forgive me, my lord, but I don't have a good hold of the common tongue. My name is Jaenyx Belaerys, son of Auryon and Maenarys Belaerys, Lord and Lady of the Basilisk Isles, dragonlord, and rider of the dragon Cloudwynd_," he introduced with a fist placed on his chest, a common form of greeting among dragonlords. However, the Targaryens of the past would have had to be more reverent when treating with Belaerys', as the Belaerys' were wealthier and more powerful than they were and lived in the upper crust of Valyrian society. With the change in circumstances, such differences in the past no longer mattered. He only had one concern that occupied his mind.

"Well met, son of Belaerys," Aerion replied with a smile. "Last time I've read of the Belaerys', they were charged with settling the Basilisk Isles years before the Doom, with aim of further settlement into Sothoryos. Am I correct to believe that the settlement lasted past the Freehold?"

"_You would be, my lord_," Jaenyx affirmed.

"And please don't take offense at this, but you seem pretty young to be a lord and to be representing your people coming from the south, if the words I've heard from my daughter Visenya are to believed. May I inquire as to where your lord father and lady mother are at this moment?"

Jaenyx paused. Lord Aerion didn't know that he touched upon a sensitive spot, one filled with anguish and sadness. Then again, he should have expected that a lord like Aerion to question how someone barely in manhood could be a lord himself.

"_They're dead, my lord_," Jaenyx managed to say.

That elicited looks of shock and sympathy from the black-haired man, the Dragonstone lord, Aegon, Rhaenys, and even the stern Visenya.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Lord Belaerys. You have my sympathies," Aerion offered. Jaenyx nodded his thanks. "May I ask how they died?"

Jaenyx hesitated. "_There was an outbreak of the red death throughout the Basilisk Isles. Nine out of ten people perished, including my father. I would have died too, if it weren't for my mother. Unfortunately, what she did came at a cost to her life_."

Aerion looked as if he wanted to know more, but wisely decided to stop there. "You say that your people are coming from the south. Are they also of the settlement from the Basilisk Isles?"

"_Yes, my lord_," Jaenyx answered. "_Forty-two vessels carrying two thousand and five hundred men, women, and children. Among them the families of Tarareon, Leniar, and Rahitheons_."

Aerion raised his eyebrows in surprise, knowing what those families were known for in the Freehold. "The Rahitheons are with you, as are the Leniars and the Tarareons?"

Jaenyx nodded. "_They came with our family when the settlement started. It was because of them that our settlement survived past the fall of the Freehold until now_."

"Father, who are these families?" Aegon asked. Judging from the looks on Aegon, Rhaenys, Visenya, and the large man, they didn't know who Jaenyx was referring to and how their father knew them.

"The Tarareons provided the best cavalrymen in Valyria's armies, able to smash into the lines of heavy infantry and feign their enemies into chasing them over weeks. The Leniars were known for producing healers and scholars of unmatched quality, their application of bloodmagic defining the wonders of the Freehold. And the Rahitheons were among the best craftsmen, smiths, and engineers to be seen in the known world, able to manipulate the land before them into true wonders of man and being the ones to perfect the process of forging Valyrian steel," their father explained. That last part got the attention of his children, with the implications of such knowledge not lost on them.

"With the Rahitheons with you, has the knowledge of producing Valyrian steel been preserved?" Visenya asked.

"_Though we lacked the materials to produce Valyrian steel in the quantities of the past, we have kept that knowledge alive_," Jaenyx replied. "_It is also one of the reasons our settlement in the Isles was able to survive for as long as it did past the Doom_."

Aerion stood up, excitement clear on his face. "It's settled. I hereby offer sanctuary to your people on Dragonstone, although I would like to meet the heads of the families alongside yourself in more proper settings. Together, we shall reignite the flames of Valyria right here on this island and ensure the prosperity of our people." He moved down from his throne and offered his hand.

Jaenyx clasped it, surprised at how quickly Aerion agreed to grant sanctuary to his people. He wondered if he should have started with saying that his people possessed the knowledge of making Valyrian steel first. Maybe, he wouldn't have had to talk about his family and that they were gone.

"_Thank you, my lord_," he answered gratefully. "_My people and I will never forget your kindness today._"

Aerion waved it off. "Nonsense. All is not lost for Valyria and I am happy to play a part in ensuring that our people are returned to their former glory. I shall have our servants arrange proper accommodations for you in our guest quarters. You are most welcome, Lord Belaerys," Aerion began ordering the servants.

"_Before you do so, my lord, I must fly out to my people first and tell them the good news. They must be worrying about me at this moment._"

"Of course, Lord Belaerys," Aerion answered. "When you return, remember that you have accommodations right here in our castle."

"_Again, thank you. I must take my leave, Lord Aerion. My people can't wait now_." After getting his consent, Jaenyx left the hall and back towards the courtyard where Cloudfyre was.

Instead of being happy at the good news, Jaenyx cursed himself for not really leveraging his position. He thought about the ways he could have got benefits from Aerion, as Valyrian steel was rare and the knowledge of forging it supposedly lost. By bringing the Rahitheons right onto his lands, Aerion could benefit from those who had preserved the knowledge by enriching Dragonstone while putting large amounts of coin into his pockets. He should have considered not telling about the families with him, as he revealed too much and did not get very much. Hopefully that can change in the near future, he thought. He would be damned if he was going to let even a dragonlord take advantage of his people, especially after all they suffered.

Then again, Aerion pointed out that he was young for a lord. Jaenyx wished he had his father and brother here, as they were more familiar when dealing with others, and navigating the maze of dealmaking took years of experience that he lacked. I really need to be more alert now if I am to prevent another blunder like this, he pondered.

Jaenyx returned to the courtyard, Cloudfyre waiting for him. Climbing on and grabbing her spines, he urged her to fly. She roared before taking off into the sky, circling the castle before flying south of the island, towards the people awaiting their return.

**Not quite sure on how often I would update this, as that depends on the demand from my readers. Hopefully, this is a good start. Thnx for reading and have a great day! **


	2. Aegon I

**Really encouraged the first few followers of this story, so you guys are awesome for starting this journey with me. I'm still not sure on my update schedule, which is haphazard depending on the mood. But I hope this is a good next step. Enjoy! **

AEGON I

After the newcomer, Jaenyx, left the hall and flew off, her father ordered the maester to send ravens to their sworn lords to inform of the new arrivals. To say that the next few days at Dragonstone would be busy was an understatement, especially since their arrivals were a remnant of Valyria like their family. Their father ordered the servants to clean the guest rooms and hallways, the cooks to prepare their finest meals in a while, and sent a runner to the town and docks at the base of the Dragonmont to prepare for their guests. He gathered them all in his solar, including Orys, their bastard half-brother. Their mother, Valaena, was currently at Driftmark with her Velaryon family, but their father sent a raven there to tell her to return. After all, their guests deserved a proper introduction from both the Lord and Lady of Dragonstone.

"I am surprised at how quickly you offered them sanctuary here, father," Aegon began as they stood around their father's long table. "Dragonlord he may be, we still have not seen his people and I am not sure if Dragonstone can provide accommodations for nearly two thousand five hundred."

"We will make do," their father Aerion dismissed his concern. "Besides, if the Rahitheons are with him, then we will not have to worry about building new homes for them. We can just provide building materials for them."

"Did you really mean what you said, father, about reigniting the flame of Valyria?" Aegon knew that his father was sentimental, but he never let his emotions influence his decisions. So, for him to provide sanctuary to these newcomers just because they were Valyrian like their family was, baffled Aegon.

"Oh, don't worry, son. That might be part of the reason why I decided to give them a haven, but not the most important one."

Aegon and his siblings glanced at each other in confusion. "I suggest all of you sit down, since I am about to discuss matters of importance," their father pointed to the chairs in front of them at the table. They all complied.

Their father clasped his hands on the table. "I informed our vassals of these new arrivals. What they bring to our shores would provide many advantages for all of us. With the martial prowess of the Tarareons, we would never need to worry as much about our safety from that of the lords of Westeros. I've read stories about Tarareon horsemen going against the Rhoynish hordes and it was said that even without the dragons, they could have kept them at bay. As for the Leniars, they were not the ones who came up with the healing arts, but they spent generations perfecting them and there was no sickness or injury that they could not heal. Add that to how the Leniars provided the foundation from which bloodmagic could be mastered from and we would never have to worry about bodily afflictions ever again."

Aegon absorbed his father's knowledge. He never heard about these families before today and merely accepted that Valyria was where wonders occurred, never bothering to find out who exactly was responsible for them. He left that to Rhaenys and Visenya, who were more curious about the world than he was.

"But that's not all," their father continued. "The Rahitheons took Valyria to new heights. There was running water, irrigation, roads, heating, and other aspects because of them. Rahitheon craftsmen set the standard for the decorations, tools, clothing, and weapons that Valyria was known for producing. Most importantly and as I said in the hall, they were the ones that perfected the process of Valyrian steel, which has been lost with the Doom until now. We settle the Rahitheons here at Dragonstone, many would come from afar to request new Valyrian steel weapons. We would essentially control the supply."

Aegon pondered about that. He was gifted his Valyrian steel sword Blackfyre as a name-day present from their father, which was passed down from his father. In fact, both Blackfyre and Visenya's sword Dark Sister had been passed down within their family for nearly a century. Everyone knew how lightweight and strong Valyrian steel was in comparison to even the best castle-forged steel, which made all Valyrian steel items more valuable when the Doom occurred. To have the ones who perfected the forging process right at Dragonstone would increase their standing in not just the Blackwater Bay, but throughout the known world.

"As good as that sounds, father," Visenya spoke up. "Do you really think that he would simply allow us to benefit from what his people will bring here? He's a dragonlord and if our impressions are correct, he will not allow them to be taken advantage of. He might even fight us with his dragon should he sense ill intentions from us."

Aegon sighed, as did Rhaenys, Orys, and their father. Leave it to Visenya to bring up the uncertain parts in every good thing. Out of himself, Orys, and Rhaenys, Visenya was the more cautious and thoughtful one. There were moments when her doubting the good things of this life became irritating, but she always had good reason to and there were many times when she was right. Such as the time when Visenya warned him about making Balerion do rolls while diving through the air, as Balerion was too large and not agile enough for that. Aegon did not listen and he nearly fell off into the sea because of that.

"You are correct in assuming that, Vis," their father called her by her nickname. "And I would be remiss to believe that he would not take his people somewhere else if he feels that we're taking advantage of him. So, I've thought of a way to prevent such worries from precluding his stay here while ensuring that he would not take what he has to another, say one of our rivals in Westeros."

Aegon saw Rhaenys narrow her eyes. "How do you intend to accomplish that?"

"We have to make him connected to us, our family, if we are to assuage his worries while making certain he won't leave at the first sign of trouble. It would also send a bad message to those sworn to us if we were to offer sanctuary essentially for free."

It was Orys that picked up on their father's thoughts. "You would have him marry into one of our vassals."

Their father smiled, amused that their brother, usually focused on being the strongest man there ever was, displayed perception for once. "Exactly. However, I was not thinking about marrying him to one of the houses under us. As he's a dragonlord, having relations with a family that does not have a dragonrider might insult him."

"But mother is not a dragonrider," Rhaenys noted. "And yet you married her."

Their father snorted. "You're right, Rhae. I married your mother because I loved her, but that is irrelevant to what I am getting at. Your mother, and the Velaryons, have Valyrian blood, which combined with the dragonblood of our family allowed you, Vis, and Egg to become dragon riders. Should our new guest marry another dragonrider, the effects of our blood might amplify and the children born out of that union could be even stronger dragonriders. That union could also say to our vassals that anything coming from our family comes at a price while emphasizing that we do have standards regarding who we choose to have relations with."

Aegon's eyes widened, now understanding what their father was saying. Judging from the faces of his sisters and Orys, they understood also. "You would have him marry one of us," he managed to say.

Their father bobbed his head. Anxiety filled the room, as Aegon took in their father's words. There were only two people that were available to marry and they were his sisters. He felt his hands tightening into a fist. He always knew that he would have to marry Visenya as per Valyrian marriage customs, which could only mean that their father intended to marry Rhaenys to this newcomer. He felt his anger boil to his skin, disgusted at the possibility that his favorite sister would have to marry and have children with a stranger, even if that stranger was a dragonrider.

_No_, he thought. _Father may make me marry Vis out of duty, but I will not allow him to sell off Rhae to this Belaerys. I will fight him and make him bleed if I have to_.

Apparently, their father saw Aegon's face twist and become redder. "Aegon, calm down! It's not what you think."

Aegon stood up. "Why is it not? You always said that it was my duty to marry one of my sisters to preserve our dragonblood. I understood that, father, and I accepted it when you said it would have to be Vis. But I will not let you give Rhae away to his outsider. I don't care if he is a dragonlord!"

Their father slammed his fist against the table while standing up. Visenya, Rhaenys, and Orys slightly recoiled from the hot blood displayed between both of them. If there was one thing that Aegon inherited from his father, it was the dragon temper in its purest form. However, a son could not overcome who he inherited it from and their father had a much more potent dragon temper. Also, unlike Aegon, their father knew how to control it and only brought it out if he had a reason to.

"Sit. Back. Down," their father said through clenched teeth. "I was not finished."

Aegon's nostrils flared, the steam still emerging from his body, but he sat down.

Their father sighed as he also lowered back into his chair, with Visenya, Rhaenys, and Orys relieved that their stand-off did not escalate. "You still have a long way to go, Egg. You have to be more in control of your feelings if you are going to take my place. But that is for another time. You are right, Egg. I do intend for Lord Belaerys to marry into our family through one of your sisters, but it's not to Rhaenys."

Everyone heard a pin drop in the solar. That was not something that Aegon expected and almost immediately, he felt relief and then regret for his outburst.

It was Visenya that now protested, her eyes widening in disbelief. "You mean to marry me to this trespasser?!"

Although showing the dragon temper, their father was much more calm about it than he was with Aegon. "Oh, come now, Vis. I know that you love Egg and that he loves you, but both of you were quite clear on how you felt when I said that you would have to marry each other. Both of you do not love each other that much, not as much as Egg loves Rhae. And I now can see quite clearly that a union between you and Egg would not end very well."

Aegon let out a breath, relieved at the prospect of not marrying his older sister but also felt guilty at not showing the joy that Visenya should have seen when their father made plans to marry them. He appreciated Visenya's seriousness and thoughtfulness, which were vindicated several times, and he acknowledged her as the smartest woman he knew. It was also one of the reasons why Aegon preferred to be around Rhaenys than Visenya. While both were very curious about the world around them, Visenya was interested in serious and intellectual pursuits such as history, Valyrian blood rituals, and different tongues in addition to learning how to fight with her sword and hands. Rhaenys was more interested in music, dancing, and poetry, inspired by the maidens in the songs while she found more joy in riding Meraxes. Essentially, Rhaenys knew how to relax, have fun, and her presence would bring smiles and laughter to those around her. Visenya did not know how to do that and she just scared people with how smart, fierce, and serious she was.

Aegon saw that Visenya could not deny their father's words either. They both loved each other, but not that much and they both lost count on the many times their conversations outside of the training yard ended in awkward silence. They just did not connect very well, and Visenya saw how close he was to Rhaenys.

Their father noticed their shared looks in admittance. "I understand your concern, Vis, but you should not be so worried. Lord Jaenyx may look lean, but he is a strapping young lad. He carries himself as a lord should and if what he says is true, then he knows what commanding others is like. That takes maturity and he has that while still blessed with youth. He is around your age from the looks of him, so there should not be much difficulty when it comes to personally connecting with one another. In addition, he has a fine looking dragon and I am confident that you'll be in good hands when you marry him."

Visenya hesitated. "That may be true, father, but he's a stranger to me. I also do not like being sold like some destrier at auction. That is why I went along with you marrying me to Aegon since at least I will be with someone I know, not some pampered lordling."

Their father leaned forward. "You're wrong, Vis, if that's what you think this. I am preventing an unhappy union from taking place since I've seen firsthand what that can do to children."

Aegon looked at the floor, sighing. He remembered the one time where their father talked about their grandfather, Lord Daemion. Their father never saw a moment of affection between Daemion and his wife and growing up as an only child meant that he had no one he could turn to when his father would ignore him and his mother. It also didn't help when Lord Daemion would beat him while his mother could not do anything. A hard man he was, no one could deny that their father Aerion loved his children and his wife.

"So what if I decided to follow through with my plans to marry you to Egg?" their father continued. "Can you guarantee that both of you will be present for your child, if you do have children with him? Somehow, I was blessed with your mother and all of you when my father arranged for me to marry her. I cannot guarantee that you will be happy with Lord Jaenyx, but I am certainly preventing one union from turning into a bad one."

Visenya calmed down, not arguing with their father's reasoning. But she was still unsure about the whole idea of marrying someone she did not know.

"Besides, if anything could be said about Lord Belaerys, it is that he is no pampered lordling. He apparently lost his parents to unnatural circumstances, which would turn any boy into a man and teach him about the difficulties of life."

Aegon remembered how Lord Jaenyx looked when their father asked him about his father and mother. He could only imagine what losing parents would do to anyone, especially a young man like him. He did not look much older than Aegon, which would compound the effects of such an experience.

"If anything more is to be said, Vis, you turned down the offer of every single lord under us for your hand in marriage. Maybe this will be different, maybe it will not. But I ask that you give some thought to this and I doubt you will find a better option."

All the protest had now left Visenya. She did not like the idea of marrying a stranger, which was why she agreed to marry Aegon in the first place. However, she also could not deny that she would not be happily married to Aegon.

"As we're still on the topic of marriage, I will allow Egg to marry Rhae, but only after Vis marries Lord Belaerys."

Aegon allowed a small smile to show on his face. Looking back at Rhaenys, he saw her smiling also. He knew that she also enjoyed being him and he looked forward to a life together with her.

"I will not reveal this to my vassals just yet, but I will say to Lord Belaerys that the price of permanent sanctuary on our lands is marrying into our family. If he's really concerned about his people, he will accept."

Aegon, Rhaenys, Visenya, and Orys nodded, accepting their father's decision. At least he took the time to explain it to them, not like other lords who made decisions as serious as marrying their children off on a whim. He finally dismissed all of them, quietly filing out of the solar.

Aegon followed Visenya through the hallway, but not before giving Rhaenys a smile and telling her that they will talk later. Right now, he had to talk to Visenya. He could only imagine what things were going through her mind, especially with the prospect of marriage coming sooner than she thought.

"Vis, wait," Aegon called out. She didn't respond, only continuing to the outside of the castle, with Aegon continuing after her.

Soon enough, they both descended a flight of stairs on the outside of the main keep and arrived at a balcony that sat near the edge of one of the cliffs of the island. Visenya leaned forward, her arms resting on the stone railing while her gaze focused on the sea spread before them.

Aegon stood next to her, also resting on the stone railing.

"Go on," Visenya started.

"What do you mean?" Aegon asked, confused.

"Be happy. You love Rhaenys and father said you can marry her. You don't have to marry me anymore," Visenya stated while still staring out at the sea.

Aegon turned to her, incredulous. "You think that's why I am here? To gloat that I will not marry you now that father is set on marrying you to a stranger?"

Visenya looked back at him. "Well, you didn't want to marry me in the first place."

"You also," Aegon shot back.

Visenya returned to looking at the sea, annoyed at how their father knew they didn't want to marry. "As I said, the only reason why I decided to marry you was so that I will not be sold off like some broodmare. But it doesn't matter now. What's done is done."

"Oh, gods," Aegon rubbed his face. "This is not you, Vis."

"What is?"

"The Vis I know does not go sulking or brooding. While you may irritate me sometimes, you think things through and you make the most out of everything. I don't see that now."

"Father decided to marry me off and to be honest with you, I don't know what to think now," Aegon heard her voice be slightly softer.

"What do you mean?" Aegon knew when Visenya would become vulnerable and he had only seen it a few times, so he had to give his full attention.

"You know that I turned down all the offers from the heirs of our father's sworn lords. The Celtigars, the Velaryons, the Sunglasses. I still remember that last attempt from Lord Sunglass to have me married his son."

Aegon chuckled. Their father held feasts at every moon and two moons ago, the head of House Sunglass decided to switch strategy by having his son spar with Visenya. He guessed that their plan was to beat Visenya in a sparring match and show their family that only his son could protect her. Their plan didn't go as expected, as she did not spar by the rules and struck the Sunglass heir in the legs and his balls before throwing a strong right hook in his cheek. That hurt his pride and he began to slash wildly at Visenya, who would have beat him to the ground had their father not come and stop the spar. The Sunglass heir and his father received a very public dressing down and were thrown out of the castle. They didn't hear another proposal from them since.

"I met many handsome men. Hells, the Sunglass boy would have been attractive had it not been for his stuck up attitude. And I turned down all of them and did not think much of it."

"But what about Lord Belaerys?" Aegon was curious, one of the few times he was.

Visenya took a moment. "I don't know him. He may have a dragon and I won't deny he's handsome. As I said, I've turned handsome men. But for some reason… Maybe it's because Father knew of how we really felt towards each other and decided to not follow through. Maybe it's because he thought there was no other dragonlord and that by marrying us, we would preserve the dragonblood only for him to discover that there's another dragonlord in the world. Maybe it's because I knew that I didn't really want to marry you but was willing to accept it, only now for Father to say I don't have to. I was prepared to do it and now it's not there. I should be relieved, but I'm not."

Aegon listened closely. He could understand what she was going through. He had prepared to marry Visenya out of duty and knew that their father would not object to him also marrying Rhaenys. He thought about the many ways he would accommodate the both of them in their marriage, how he would not neglect Visenya despite not really loving her that much. And now, he won't have to and he could devote all of his attention to Rhaenys. He took it better, but preparing your life for something that was coming that you did not like only for that to not occur would rattle anyone. Hells, he initially felt rattled.

Aegon put his hand on Visenya's shoulder. "So it's not about Lord Belaerys? It is everything that is happening now," he stated in a matter-of-fact tone. Visenya's silence confirmed it. "I'm not going to say that everything will suddenly be alright because I know what you're feeling. It may take some time to come to terms with all of this, and I may not love you as much as Rhaenys. But I am your brother and we are dragons. We stick together."

Visenya turned back to him, her hands coming off the stone railing and standing straight. She pulled him in for a hug. "Thanks, little brother."

"Of course, big sister," Aegon returned the hug. "And listen, if Belaerys hurts you, I'll have Balerion cook him very slowly."

Visenya laughed amusingly. "That will be a sight to see, considering nothing lasts very long with Balerion's breath."

They turned back to look at the sea, only to see faint shapes of ships on the horizon. They heard Balerion and Meraxes roar before they saw them flying towards the ships.

**For those that are thinking it, Visenya being married to Jaenyx and not Aegon will have major implications for Aegon's Conquest and for the rest of the ASOIAF/GOT timeline. For example, there might not be a Maegor the Cruel or an Aenys. I am only working on what has been said about the personalities of Aegon, Rhaenys, and Visenya (not much) and filling in the blanks. Hope this has been enjoyable!**


	3. Rhaenys I

**As of now, I'm just going to say "screw it." I'll update as often as I want because I can't control the flow of the creative juices and the urge to write. Really stoked about my first few reviews and I can only aim to please my readers. On that note, here we go!**

RHAENYS I

Rhaenys saw the ships on the horizon, which only meant that Lord Belaerys had arrived with his people as he said he would. She got on Meraxes, flying off towards them while Balerion followed. It would not take long for her and the dragons to reach the ships.

As she got closer, Rhaenys counted over forty ships, not large in comparison to the ships she had seen from regions such as those belonging to the Storm King and Harren the Black, and they maintained an orderly formation as they sailed towards her home. She saw Cloudwynd flying in circles over the fleet carrying a last remnant of Valyria, but Jaenyx was not riding her. Quickly looking through the ships, she spotted the lead vessel and saw the familiar shape of Lord Belaerys.

Rhaenys made Meraxes fly low above the water, using a few words to point her in the direction she wanted and used her whip to make small adjustments. She thought about jumping onto the deck of the ship while Meraxes hovered nearby, but decided not to as she never done that before and the risks were too great. She flew a little closer, hoping the deck of the ship was large enough for Meraxes to land and that the wood wouldn't collapse under her.

Rhaenys saw the ship's crew stop moving before making an opening on the deck. Apparently, their lord landed his dragon on the deck before and they knew what to do. Meraxes touched down on the deck, with the ship rocking back and forth in a struggle to keep balance. Thinking quickly, she slid off Meraxes and used her whip to make her fly off before the ship capsized.

Rhaenys let out a breath in relief, but saw the scared looks on the crew. They held onto the ship's railings and the masts, their faces frozen in fear at almost sinking into the sea. She straightened her dress and met each of their gazes. _Maybe I should not do that again_, she thought.

"_Lady Rhaenys!_" She looked up to see Lord Jaenyx on the quarterdeck, clearly indignant at the risk she put his ship's crew in. "_What were you thinking when you decided to have your dragon land on top of this ship?!_"

Rhaenys looked at him apologetically. "My apologies, my lord. That was the first time I did that. I didn't mean to put your crew at risk."

Jaenyx exhaled, relaxing after seeing her sincerity. "_Cloudwynd knows how to be careful whenever she lands and she doesn't stay for more than a few seconds. Just try not to do that unless you practiced a few times._" Rhaenys dipped her head in understanding. "_Now, what's your reason for coming here, Lady Rhaenys?_"

"Just wanted to exchange a few words with you before you arrive in my home." While she knew how to speak High Valyrian before learning the common tongue, Rhaenys was getting uncomfortable speaking one tongue while Lord Jaenyx spoke another. _Either Vis or I would have to teach him how to speak in the common tongue, or we would have to accommodate him and speak Valyrian more often,_ she contemplated.

"_Come to my cabin, Lady Rhaenys_," Jaenyx gestured her to follow her below the quarterdeck. "_We'll talk in there._" He turned towards the coxswain. "_Continue on course. Everyone else, back to your duties_."

"_Aye, my lord!"_ the coxswain affirmed while the rest of the crew resumed their work.

Rhaenys expected Lord Belaerys' cabin to be luxurious and befitting for a dragonlord, with valuables filling every inch of the walls and wine on top of his desk. Instead, she found the cabin bereft of those comforts. There was only a wooden frame and mattress on the right side of the cabin, a simple wooden desk near the rear of the cabin with two chairs in front of it, and two candles and two torches providing light. There was a greatsword and two slightly-curved swords of different length with black silk handles and bronze circle hilts suspended on the left wall along with a suit of strange armor. The greatsword and armor were made of Valyrian steel judging from the smoky black ripples across the metal while Rhaenys was unsure of the other two swords, having never seen such a style before. There were maps and pieces of parchment scattered all over the desk along with a quill and half-empty ink pot. _He seems to be entirely focused on what he needs to do. Maybe he'll get along with Vis after all,_ she pondered.

Rhaenys was surprised to see a harp set against the right wall next to the mattress, or a rather larger form of a harp. It was rectangular, had thirteen strings and bridges, and had tiny legs at each corner similar to desk legs. _I wonder if he can play that well. That'll be interesting and maybe something I can talk about with him_.

Rhaenys took another moment to look upon the man that would be her sister's husband. Taller than Aegon by a few inches but shorter than Orys, he was not as broad-shouldered as her brothers and looked slimmer than both. However, despite the white tunic and leather vest and trousers, she could see that he had well-defined features on his midriff that included a firm chest and abdomen. His arms and legs were not as large as Aegon's or Orys', but they had a solid build and was devoid of fat. He had so much lean muscle all over his body that his garments hung loosely off him and made him look larger than he actually was. He had a well-defined jawline, clean shaven face, pale skin, silver hair that grew past his ears but remained above his neck, and amethyst eyes. There was no doubting him having the blood of Valyria from those features alone. His youth made his features look powerful and enhanced the glow that shined from his face. _He might look thin compared to Egg and Orys, but he can probably take on both of them in a match for strength_, Rhaenys thought. _And he's quite stunning to look at. If Father didn't plan for Vis to marry him and if I didn't love Egg, I would have tried to make him mine_.

However, Rhaenys took a closer look at his eyes. They were just as piercing as her father's, more than Aegon's and Orys', and she could sense that they were older than his age. She also saw hints of dark circles around his eyes, which she surmised came from the weight of a leader's responsibilities. His face carried an expression that was bereft of the innocence that defined other young men like Aegon and even Orys who was ten years older older than Visenya, probably pointing to how much he had to sacrifice to ensure the well-being of those he led. Add all of that to the amount of parchment and scribbles on his desk and one could see that this was a man who knew his priorities and did not let the passions of youth lead him astray. Rhaenys became more awed by the man that would be betrothed to Visenya and grew more confident they would have a loving relationship, since Visenya always appreciated maturity and Lord Belaerys definitely had that.

Rhaenys' respect for his maturity and awe of his physical form were tempered with surprise upon noticing another man in the cabin. This man, an Essosi by the looks of him, was considerably older than Jaenyx, probably past the age of fifty. He had raven black hair tied up in a bun, narrow brown eyes, and tan skin. He had a short beard that just covered his jawline and chin and a moustache that did not grow past his upper lip. He wore blue robes that flowed to his ankles and tied with a wide silk belt, black leather sandals, and had two swords that looked just like the ones Lord Jaenyx wore when he first came to Dragonstone on Cloudwynd. His gaze was even more piercing than Lord Jaenyx and Rhaenys could tell that this man was sizing her up.

The old man talked to Jaenyx while keeping his gaze on Rhaenys, conversing in a tongue she never heard before. There was strong emphasis on certain words he used and yet the sounds flowed smoothly out of his mouth. Jaenyx responded to the old man in the same tongue, which frustrated Rhaenys since they did not speak in High Valyrian. After a few words exchanged between them, the Essosi nodded to Jaenyx and left the cabin. He motioned for Rhaenys to sit down in one of the chairs in front of his desk, after which he also sat down.

"I am sorry. I did not know you had company," Rhaenys began after a few moments.

"_Don't worry. It was nothing important. I just explained who you were to my teacher_," Jaenyx waved off.

Rhaenys raised her eyebrows. "Your teacher?"

"_I will explain everything to you and to your family in due time, Lady Rhaenys. Now then_," Jaenyx sat straighter after rearranging his desk while also cleaning up some spilled ink when the ink pot tipped over due to Meraxes. "_You said that you wanted to have a few words with me. You can, but be mindful that I have pressing matters to attend to, all of which pertain to our arrival at your family's home. So please don't waste my time_."

Rhaenys was taken aback by how straight-forward he was. It reinforced her belief that he and Visenya will get along very well, as there will be no lying or deception between them.

"I merely wanted to have simple words with you, as you are going to be staying in my home. Permanently, it seems." Jaenyx nodded. "You are definitely concerned for the welfare of your people and you are clear when it comes to what you want. That's something that most people our age, including lordlings, don't have."

Jaenyx had a blank expression. "_I don't see how that can be interesting to anyone. I just do what I have to do. Nothing more to it_."

_Oh, my. The more I talk to him, the more blunt he becomes._ "I am guessing you don't know how to properly talk to a lady."

Jaenyx blinked, and then shrugged. "_You are misinterpreting, Lady Rhaenys. It's not that I don't know how to talk to a lady. I just have a lot of worries at this moment. My people and I have been on a voyage that lasted several moons and while they are relieved at finally finding sanctuary, there are still many things that can happen. Some of those things may put them at risk_."

_That's reasonable_. "So much worries for a young man like yourself. Do such worries don't occupy all of your time?"

"_Are you asking if I partake in recreational pursuits_?"

"Something along those lines, yes."

Jaenyx narrowed his eyes. "_I'm not sure why you want to know about that_."

_Why's he being so frustrating? _"We may be a few years apart, but we're both at a similar stage in life where we can engage in similar activities. I see the harp next to your bed, so I am guessing that you like music. I like music too and I can play with our castle's musicians from time to time."

Jaenyx looked at the harp before relaxing. "_First of all, that's not a harp. It's called a koto, used by many back in Yi-Ti beyond the Red Waste, but it serves a similar purpose to a harp._"

That was surprising for Rhaenys. "Yi-Ti? Then, that old man who was here, is he Yi-Tish?"

Jaenyx nodded. "_Yes."_

"Have you ever been to Yi-Ti?" She had to know, as people in Westeros only heard about Yi-Ti in passing.

"_One time, and that was when my teacher got me my name-day present_."

"What's it like over there?"

"_Oh, it's… just being there made me question everything I ever knew and made me realize how insignificant the rest of us are in the world."_

"Can you speak the tongue there?"

"_Tongues. There's more than one, and yes, I do. My teacher taught me two of their tongues._"

"How does it compare to Dragonstone or even Sothoryos?"

Rhaenys saw his expression darken before he suppressed it. "_There were many things I could do over there and maybe in another life, I would have liked to live in Yi-Ti_."

"How are the women over there?" Rhaenys felt her eyes widen, her question leaving her lips before she knew it. _Oh, gods. Why did I ask that?_

Jaenyx let out a nervous laugh. "_They're pretty docile on the surface but they're very resilient. They just don't show it_."

"Are you a virgin?" Rhaenys felt like she had to ask since they were talking about women.

"_No,_" Jaenyx simply answered. "_All right. What is this? Why are you curious about what I do for recreation, about Yi-Ti, and now if I'm a virgin?_"

_I just want to know the man that will soon become Vis' husband,_ Rhaenys thought.

"_Did your lord father send you? Get as much as you can out of me and see if he can manipulate me in some way?_" He was now very suspicious.

"No, no. It's not like that," Rhaenys waved her hands and shook her head in denial. "They don't even know I'm here."

"_Then why are you so curious, Lady Rhaenys? What is it all to you?_"

Rhaenys sighed. Her mistake was bringing up women and she let her curiosity get the better of her. If she didn't give a sufficient explanation, she and her family will have a bad start with Lord Jaenyx.

"You do know that my father will not offer you sanctuary without conditions."

Jaenyx nodded. "_I expected that. Probably will take a portion of the coin made from the sale of Valyrian steel tools and have the Leniars become his healers in exchange for us staying on his lands. Not a big issue_."

"Those are not even the important conditions."

"Ahh," Jaenyx began to understand. "_He wants me to marry one of his vassals so that I will have something that binds me to your family while preventing me from going elsewhere._"

"Not his vassals. He wants you to marry into our family."

Jaenyx sighed as he leaned back in his chair. He looked down as he twiddled with his thumbs for a moment before looking back up. "_Is it you that he wants me to marry? Is that why you're here?_"

Rhaenys shook her head. "Not me."

"_Lady Visenya_," he stated as the final piece came. Rhaenys nodded. "_Can't say I'm surprised. You are dragonlords, I'm a dragonlord. It only makes sense that dragons have relations with one another. My guess is that your sister did not take the news very well._"

"She's still trying to adjust to it, because she was always expected to marry our brother Aegon. However, they don't have that kind of love for each other. I always loved Aegon and he loved me back, but she agreed to marry him because he was not a stranger."

From his expression, Rhaenys saw that he understood. "_I am not going to say that I am happy about your lord father's decision and how he's leveraging the welfare of my people for his own advantage. At the same time, I don't have a lot of choices and my first concern is to get my people onto lands where they can be safe. If that is his price, I will pay._"

Rhaenys offered a smile. "Don't worry so much, my lord. Before I continue, can I call you Jaenyx?" He nodded. "Jaenyx, Visenya is a very beautiful woman. She is intelligent, she knows how to fight with a sword and with her hands, and she can be as serious as you are. If you want to get started on the right foot with her, use the training yard. She spends as much as time over there as she does in our library."

"_How good is she with the sword?_"

Rhaenys could tell he was genuinely curious. _Now we're getting somewhere_, she thought happily. "She's one of the best I've seen, and that is saying a lot. Aegon and Orys are strong, but she's quick with her feet and knows how to use your weak places." She saw Jaenyx was getting more interested, so she pressed on. "She also likes to learn tongues, so maybe you could teach her the Yi-Ti tongues that you know. But I would not recommend you play the harp, or what the Yi-Ti call it, as she gets bored with music very quickly."

"_I was like that, but then my teacher taught me about Yi-Ti music and that changed my perspective. If your sister is intelligent, I think she'll also like their music._"

_Oh, they have some common ground now_. "Well, I think it'll be best if you told her that yourself. After all, I'm not the one you're going to marry."

Before they could continue, they heard a knock at the door. Jaenyx opened the door and saw one of the crew standing there.

"_My lord, we are near the shore and there are boats from the island that want to guide us to their docks_."

"_Let them. Prepare to disembark and inform the heads of the Rahitheons, the Tarareons, and the Leniars. I have things of importance to discuss with them before we meet the lord of Dragonstone._"

"Yes, my lord." The crewman ran away from the door.

Rhaenys figured out what he was going to do. "Are you going to tell me about my father's plan?"

"_Your father may have control over the situation, but that doesn't mean I will not have my own preparations. If I am to marry your sister, then so be it. But he won't be the one to get everything._"

Rhaenys did not know if she should be worried about that, but decided to put those thoughts away. She followed him out of the cabin and saw the ship right about to enter Dragonstone's docks. She saw Meraxes and Cloudwynd fly around each other, two new dragons getting acquainted. She then saw Visenya and Aegon walking onto the docks to greet the new arrivals.

After they saw her with Jaenyx and noticed the worrying expression on her face, Rhaenys knew that they knew she told him about the betrothal. _I will not hear the end of it tonight._

**I don't know about how I am going to write out Jaenyx's dialogue without italicizing his every sentence. Remember, while he may understand the common tongue, he doesn't know how to speak it and can only communicate with the Targaryens in High Valyrian. As for the Targaryen siblings and Orys, they can speak High Valyrian but they're more comfortable using the common tongue. To add authenticity, should I add actual Valyrian words and sentences and then translate them later? I don't want to be clunky because I also want to include inner thoughts. I will show him eventually being able to speak the common tongue as the story progresses.  
**

**Writing from multiple POVs is quite challenging but also very fun. Each of the characters have only a certain amount of information that they can act on and those gaps in knowledge have consequences. I'm guessing this is what GRRM experienced when he published A GAME OF THRONES, even though I'm writing fanfic and we all know his opinions on the matter. However, it's such a rich universe and I would like add my contributions alongside the many good writers on this site. **

**Regarding Rhaenys' actions here, she was described as curious and impulsive. This is my attempt at showing what the consequences are when she becomes too curious for her own good and suddenly blurts out words that might negatively impact those around her. However, she was also described as kindhearted and in this story, she is genuinely concerned about Visenya. Fortunately for her, she said just the right words to make Jaenyx interested in interacting with Visenya and she was able to get things going on a good start. However, her father and siblings will definitely not be happy that she revealed the planned betrothal. Here's to hoping she's allowed off the hook :) **

**As for the Yi-Ti character, there might be some who would see this as a anachronistic inclusion in the ASOIAF/GOT world and as an attempt to include the stereotypical old Asian mentor. But I will address them, because this character will be very important for us to understand Jaenyx's past and will act as an important force of development for our other main characters, including Visenya. Some key parts of the story will draw inspiration from THE LAST SAMURAI since that film showed how the protagonist began to question everything he ever knew. Besides Orys, the Targaryen siblings are not even 20 at this point and are still naive, especially in comparison to Jaenyx, who is also younger than 20 but experienced crap that would force a teenager to mature very quickly. I want to have the Targaryen siblings and also Orys question everything they ever knew because hormonal teenagers cannot hope to accomplish a feat like Aegon's Conquest (I'm going to change the name to the Dragon Conquest since it's not just Aegon anymore) and the Yi-Ti character will be central in accomplishing that. For those that can guess, that character will be inspired mainly by Hiroyuki Sanada with some parts of Ken Watanabe, Pat Morita, and even Master Shifu from Kung Fu Panda. At the same time, I won't idealize or make the Yi-Ti character an overly good person, as he will also have flaws that lead to severe consequences.  
**

**To clarify the ages since the story begins ten years before the Conquest:**

**-Jaenyx Belaerys: 19 (born 29 BC)**

**-Aegon Targaryen: 17 (born 27 BC) **

**-Visenya Targaryen: 18 (born 28 BC)**

**-Rhaenys Targaryen: 16 (born 26 BC)**

**-Orys Baratheon: 28 (born 38 BC)**

**-Aerion Targaryen: 46 (born 56 BC) **

**-Valaena Targaryen: 42 (born 52 BC) **

**-Yi-Ti character, whose name I will reveal in the next chapter: 54 (born 64 BC), and that's old by medieval standards**

***characters will follow**

**Next up, we will see things from Visenya's POV. Hope this chapter was a good read and that all of you will continue on this ride. **


	4. Visenya I

**Getting a little difficult to juggle the different personalities as my workload gets heavier, but I will continue updating as often as possible. Again, really encouraged by the initial strong response. You guys are awesome! **

**Without further ado, here is the first Visenya POV. **

VISENYA I

_Of course she would tell him. She just couldn't resist the chance to be a matchmaker_. Rhaenys was the romantic out of Aegon, Orys, and Visenya. Given to flights of fancy, she had rather rosy views in regards to courting and marriage. While Rhaenys would be allowed to take the love between her and Aegon to its natural conclusion, she was oblivious to how marriages worked in real life, especially when it came to the lords of Westeros.

Fortunately for them, they had the blood of dragons and that of Valyria, meaning that they would not be married to some random lord or lady from some backwater estate in order to maintain their blood's purity. If they didn't have dragonblood, that would have been their fate. Then, discussions regarding dowries and land exchanges would take place and the production of male heirs being emphasized by both families, the last part making her skin crawl when she considered what would happen had the Sunglass lord got what he wanted.

Such was the case of marriages in Westeros. No one gave a damn about love and beauty even if the tourneys made a crown symbolizing both, to be given to the lady of the champion's choice. The cynic in Visenya told her that properties and coin made the whole world go round and marriages were just another means for families, especially lordly ones, to get more of both. Her upcoming betrothal with Lord Belaerys was no exception, even though an important factor influencing their father's decision to marry her to him was to strengthen their dragonblood by bringing in new dragonblood.

At the same time, Visenya was not completely unhappy about her coming betrothal to Lord Belaerys. Being a dragonrider already put him very highly in her eyes, as he could understand what it meant to have dragonblood flowing through their veins and the joy that could be drawn from feeling the air rushing past his face when riding a dragon through the sky. It certainly helped that he had the Valyrian features of silver hair and amethyst eyes as well as having a body that would make any lady grow wet between the legs in arousal, his form of solid muscle obvious even with his loose garments and lacking the fat that Orys had and even Aegon occasionally. Also, like their father said, she and Lord Belaerys were about the same age, so it would not be too difficult to connect with him over youthful pastimes like hunting or storytelling.

Then again, Visenya met many handsome men and turned them all down. She either found them all either uninteresting, predictable, or unwilling to accept a woman who could actual books and could beat them in swordplay. It also terrified one of her suitors when she was found with a book that talked about Valyrian bloodmagic rituals, an area she held interest in for a long time but considered largely forbidden throughout Westeros after the Doom. Men who fell into that group annoyed her the most and she had to fight the urge to have Vhagar turn them into tiny piles of ashes. It was very possible that Lord Belaerys would not respond well to a woman who knew how to fight, so she thought about the ways she could bruise him before allowing Vhagar to engulf him in flames after she beat his dragon Cloudwynd.

Blood and benefits aside, Visenya was quite interested in who Lord Belaerys was and how rooted he and his people were in Valyrian ways. He obviously understood the common tongue, but could only speak High Valyrian. That indicated that his family was more rooted in the customs of old Valyria than even her family. She knew the language, but so did other lords in Westeros who wanted to boast about their level of education and who could not speak more than a few simple sentences. She looked forward to conversing in High Valyrian with Lord Belaerys and learn more about the mindset of those directly from Valyria.

Visenya also spoke with members of his ship's crew who could speak the common tongue, learning from them that his mother was a Leniar, who had extensive knowledge of blood magic and on how to control fire. Given what her father said about the Leniars, Lord Belaerys must have learned at least some blood rituals and maybe inherited magical capabilities from his mother. The prospect of learning blood rituals excited her, as the books she read were written by those who did not have the highest respect for such practices and even less grasp of what it actually was.

Despite the prospect of learning blood magic from a practitioners' offspring thrilled her, that was not the principal reason on why she was not fully unhappy with marrying Lord Belaerys. While she saw that he had a gaze as piercing as their father's, she used the moments greeting him on the docks to fully scrutinize his eyes. The crew on his ship held a similar gaze, a kind of gaze that had them looking like they were staring a thousand yards into the distance. She read about how some soldiers and knights after battle would seemingly focus on something far away while sitting or standing still, and no words would leave their lips for at least a few days. The maesters stated that hearing screams during battle and being exposed to parts of the body that were only revealed through forced cutting of the flesh would affect those long after the battle was fought. Whatever Lord Belaerys and his people experienced certainly affected them and it showed no signs of disappearing soon.

Rather than be repulsed by it, Visenya saw that gaze in Lord Belaerys' eyes as something that made him different than most lordlings his age. He must have known what it was like to struggle, something she understood whenever lordlings commented on her rough exterior and her pursuit of interests "unbecoming of a lady." Her devouring on anything related to the Valyrians especially blood magic unsettled even Aegon and Rhaenys, although they and their father indulged her nevertheless. Aegon, Rhaenys, and Orys were more accepted among the more Westerosi noble circles, with her brothers possessing the outlook and appearance befitting of knights and Rhaenys being the proper lady who brought liveliness to a dull court. The only reason why men tried to pursue her was because they lusted after her looks and the idea of a Valyrian beauty who was resilient and intellectually-inclined, but they did not truly respect her or that kind of woman.

Visenya could care less about what others thought or felt, but not caring also brought the kind of struggle that came with choosing between being true to one's self and conforming to others' expectations, especially if one is surrounded by those who served as a constant reminder of how those differences prevented those from easily approaching you. And she doubted that she would find someone who knew what that kind of struggle is like. Maybe Lord Belaerys may not have had that same type of struggle, but it was apparently just as severe. So, a marriage with him was not entirely hopeless.

Lord Belaerys admitted losing his parents, which certainly made him a strong man. Most lordlings grew up in comfort their entire lives and would crack at the first indication of life not going the way they wanted. But that apparently did not apply to him, who was leading thousands of people at a young age and doing well at it so far, if their voyage from Sothoryos said anything. As their father said, that took maturity and he clearly had that. Visenya always appreciated maturity in a man, which admittedly Aegon and Orys did not display a few times such as in the training yard and when doing the lordly duties their father made them do.

Visenya did not know if she was evil in seeing his maturity and experience with struggle as things that made him more attractive while also ignoring the pain that must've come with that, which included the death of his family. She was fortunate in not having to experience that yet, but she had to take care at not seeming insensitive when they engaged in the deep conversations she was sure would occur.

Back in their father's solar, Visenya, Aegon, and Orys watched as their father scolded Rhaenys.

"Do you have any idea how much jeopardy you put our plans in?" He was quite indignant at Rhaenys deciding to give into her usual flights of fancy. Admittedly, Visenya also felt annoyed at her for thinking that her relationship with Lord Belaerys would be like the ones in the songs.

"I just wanted to see what kind of person he was, since he will become my good-brother," Rhaenys defended herself.

Their father dipped his head and let out a heavy sigh, his frustration evident. "There is a reason why I decided to wait until he was more settled into Dragonstone before I told him of the price of sanctuary. I wanted him to get more comfortable, more at ease with his new surroundings, which would make telling him about the marriage easier. By 'easier', I mean that he will have difficulty in leaving once many of his people are settled here and he will have no choice but to accept. Since you told him about those plans before he was settled in, he could simply go back to his ship and sail elsewhere. Had that crossed your mind when you decided to play matchmaker for your sister?"

"Father, I would not worry about him leaving. From what I've seen, he seems open to a marriage with Visenya."

That got his attention, along with Aegon, Visenya, and Orys. "What do you mean?"

"Well, when I told Jaenyx that Visenya is great at swordplay and likes to learn different tongues, he got interested. He also told me that he likes a certain sort of music that he was sure that Visenya would like," Rhaenys revealed.

Visenya internally groaned. _I'll have to see about that, but Rhae said too much, again. _

However, their father's frustration slowly disappeared and his hard face softened. "This makes things a little easier. If we could find more similarities between Vis and Lord Belaerys, then we could make him stay out of his own volition."

Visenya held back a sigh. _I won't see the end of it. He'll probably put me in the training yard or in the library with him to stress our commonalities. On the other hand, I'm curious as to how he fights and what he knows._

Their father wasn't finished, though. "But Rhae, while your efforts bore fruit, you nearly jeopardized our plans. Try something like this again without our knowledge, I'll keep you from flying Meraxes for a month. Understood?"

Not riding Meraxes was an effective way of getting Rhaenys in line, as everyone in Dragonstone knew how much she loved to ride her dragon, spending more time than Aegon and Visenya combined. She nodded begrudgingly. _Even for you, father, that's harsh_, she mused.

"Also, I've noticed that you called Lord Belaerys by his first name. Why is that?"

Visenya was also interested. Being one a first name basis with anyone signalled friendship, and Rhaenys becoming fast friends was not all that surprising given how outgoing she was to anyone.

Rhaenys shrugged. "When I asked if I could call him that, he said yes. I'm guessing it's because I made accepting a marriage with Vis easier for him."

Their father was about to ask something else when they heard a knock on the door. "Come in," their father ordered.

One of the men servants entered the solar. "My lord, Lord Belaerys seeks an audience with you."

Surprise came to all of them. "Is he here right now?" The servant nodded. "Tell him to come in."

"My lord," the servant gave a look of confusion. "He wants to meet you in the courtyard, in front of your dragons, along with Lords Aegon and Orys and Ladies Visenya and Rhaenys."

Normally, one would not make such a request of a lord in his own home. But considering what had just transpired between Rhaenys and Lord Belaerys, this had to be important. "All right. Tell him we'll meet him there," the servant complied and left the room. "Let's hear what he wants to say."

Moving through the hallways and past the metal doors, Visenya and the others found Lord Belaerys in the courtyard stroking his dragon's snout. Balerion and Vhagar were also in the courtyard, with Meraxes flying somewhere else on the island. Sensing their presence, Lord Belaerys turned around and gave a slight dip with his head in greeting, which their father returned. Visenya noticed that he had a servant with him who carried a white ivory chest on his arms.

"_Lord Targaryen, forgive me for calling you out here but I have matters that I must discuss with you and your family._" Visenya sensed something different from his words, different from when he introduced himself at Dragonstone just a few days ago. Whatever it was, it had an edge that was lacking from when they first met him.

"_Not at all, Lord Belaerys, but couldn't we discuss them in my solar?_" Visenya noticed their father speaking in High Valyrian instead of the common tongue. As they were in the courtyard, which had their servants and other members of their household bustling about, he didn't want them to be aware of their intimate discussions.

"_I'm afraid that if we discussed them in your solar, you won't be able to fully comprehend my words and I want to make sure that nothing is lost on you._"

_What are you going to do?_ Visenya was honestly a little worried at the moment. He wanted to talk to them along with their dragons, meaning that something major will happen.

"_All right,_" their father acquiesced. "_What is it you want to discuss_?"

"_I am sure that you know that I am aware of what you want from me in exchange for you providing sanctuary for me people here at Dragonstone_." Their father said nothing, as there was no point in denying it now. "_I don't approve of you leveraging the safety of my people for your benefit, but I guess that's my fault since I should have expected that you would not help us out of the goodness of your heart and me being a young man limits my experience in negotiating the world's realities._"

Visenya was taken aback by his honesty and bluntness, and found herself impressed. _He doesn't mince words like other lordlings_.

"_I am sure Lady Rhaenys told all of you of how my interest was piqued by what she said about Lady Visenya, and she's right. If that is your price for giving sanctuary to my people, I will marry her._"

Visenya did not know if she should be shocked by how quickly he agreed to it or if she should be delighted since she should now see for herself if Rhaenys' words about him being open to a relationship with her were true. Nevertheless, that was one bridge crossed for her and her mind turned to the next bridge ahead, which involved actual interactions with Lord Belaerys.

"_I'm pleased that you've accepted_," their father replied, satisfaction spreading through his face.

"_However, I asked you to meet me here because I had some discussions with the heads of the families that came with me and they made me aware of the more formal details of a betrothal between two families that are addressed before being they're joined in matrimony._"

Their father was surprised, and Visenya could only guess what those "formal details" were.

"_A central process that must be worked out before any betrothal can move forward is the negotiation of a dowry_." He added a smirk, as if expecting their father to see him as naive youngster.

Visenya did not expect that and she saw Rhaenys, Aegon, and Orys just as surprised. Although she was aware of the great importance of dowries in marriage negotiations, it took nerve to bring that up in front of their father and in public, even though their servants and household members didn't understand what they were saying and simply continued their business.

"_A dowry?_" Although angered by impertinence like any other lord especially when seen in their own home, Visenya saw that her father taking it rather well and was more amused by it.

"_The way I see it, Lord Targaryen, while I am in need of sanctuary, you seem to want me much more than I want you. Otherwise, why else would you want me to marry your daughter to prevent me from going elsewhere?_"

_The gall on this man_, Visenya thought. But rather than be insulted by his impudence, she found herself more impressed since she never saw this side of him when he first came to Dragonstone.

Their father scoffed, as if trying to mask just how much he was enjoying this. "_You come into my home with insolence and you think I'm going to treat one word with you on something as significant as a dowry?_"

Lord Belaerys shrugged, his hands open and arms half-raised. "_Why are you still talking to me then_?"

Their father shook their head, but not in derision to him, and crossed his arms in an attempt to regain some control of the situation. "_All right. What kind of dowry are you seeking?_"

"_I'm not looking for coin. My mother and father left more than enough for me to look after our people and to live comfortably for at least a few hundred years._" Visenya could not tell if he was exaggerating or saying the plain truth, but he sounded confident enough to say that he essentially owned a fortune. "_I seek a different kind of dowry. Lands_."

"_Go on,_" their father gestured as he gave his undivided attention. Visenya, Rhaenys, and their brothers listened with increasing interest.

"_From what I saw at the first time, Dragonstone is not heavily populated, which is reasonable given that this island was made from volcanic activity and the rest from the magic of Valyria. The dowry I seek are portions of Dragonstone large enough to accommodate nearly three thousand people. You will provide the building materials that we need to build our homes and our fields. You will also sell to us seeds for us to plant crops that we will harvest while the summer lasts. I will pay for them and you won't need to worry about how we build them. The Rahitheons can handle building homes and farms from scratch. When I marry Lady Visenya, I will not live in the guest quarters of your castle. You will provide a keep for me and for my future wife to reside in and raise our family._"

Visenya watched as Lord Belaerys became more bold and assertive with each term he sought. Most lordlings either relied on their fathers or were too timid to make their demands, restricted by the rules when talking to a lord. _Then again, he's not really a lord in the Westerosi sense and he has no restrictions. _

"_Lastly, you might be Lord of Dragonstone and have other lords sworn to you, but I will not swear fealty to you_."

_Oh, gods_. Receiving lands from a lord and not swearing fealty was unheard of. Everyone from a knight to a lord had answered to a more powerful lord, who then answered to a king. By not swearing fealty, he was defying the lordly system of Westeros. _Then again, our family has lived in Westeros for a long time while he and his people came from a colony established by Valyria._

Their father's eyes widened, also understanding what he just asked. "_No man is given lands by a lord without oaths of fealty. That's how it is in Westeros_."

"_But I'm not of Westeros, am I? In addition, would it be proper for a dragon to be subservient to another dragon?_"

Their father sighed, conceding his point. But Visenya saw he was not going to let Lord Belaerys have the final word on the matter. "_What if I refuse your terms?_"

Visenya knew their father wanted a betrothal between Lord Belaerys and her too much to say no because that would mean forfeiting the benefits that came with Lord Jaenyx, which included the ones that held the Rhoynish at bay centuries ago and the ones who knew how to forge Valyrian steel. But he was a dragon and he would not give in easily.

As if expecting him to ask that, Lord Belaerys turned to his servant and opened the ivory chest. From the chest he pulled out a black and gold horn that was as long as his arm and as wide as the distance between his chest and chin. The mouthpiece curved slightly upwards before the rest of the horn curved downwards and grew wider, with the bell placed horizontally. It looked ominous, more so with Lord Belaerys holding it.

Lord Belaerys steadied his grip on the horn and placed his lips on the mouthpiece. As he blew on it, a loud and piercing droning sound blew out, filling the courtyard with the noise and those on Blackwater Bay's west shores being able to hear it. The sound's pitch became a little higher while becoming slightly softer, before becoming loud again and reaching a higher pitch only for a short moment before the horn's blast dissipated.

Visenya assumed that must've been some war horn, but she then noticed Rhaenys looking towards their dragons with wide eyes. She followed her gaze and knew why she was shocked. Balerion and Vhagar stood very still, their breathing stopped and their eyes focused on something in the distance. It was as if something put them in a trance, as they were never that still. She turned towards Cloudwynd, who also stood very still.

Putting the horn back in the chest and having the servant close it, Lord Belaerys whistled. As if on cue, Balerion, Vhagar, and Cloudwynd snapped out of their gaze and looked straight at him. Their mouths were snapped shut as their eyes followed him as he walked through the courtyard. Seeing a goat walking around, he grabbed it by its horn and placed it in the middle of the courtyard. By now, their servants and household were looking at the scene with sheer terror, having never seen the dragons act like this.

Relaxing the goat and after making sure it would not leave its spot, Lord Belaerys walked back to his servant. He then pointed to the goat and shouted a Valyrian command. "DRACARYS!"

Immediately, all three dragons doused the goat in dragonfire, the combined flames of the three of them creating an inferno in the courtyard and burning so brightly that the ones without dragonblood had to cover their eyes tightly with their arms. After a few seconds, the three dragons closed their mouths and stopped the stream of dragonfire, the spot where the goat was now a small pile of ash.

Walking around the pile of ash, Lord Belaerys stared at each of the dragons straight in their eyes. Then, he gave another Valyrian command. "Sōvēs!" The dragons flew off into the air and away from the castle. He turned to see Visenya, Aegon, Rhaenys, Orys, and their father, not knowing if their wide eyes and dropped jaws expressed shock or terror at what they had just seen.

"_Is that… a dragonhorn_?" their father managed after a moment.

"_Yes. The last true one in the world. But don't get any ideas since that horn will only sound when someone carrying Belaerys blood blows it. A gift from when Jaenara Belaerys returned in triumph from her exploration of Sothoryos, which prompted the Freehold to elevate her brood into one of the seven great dragonlord families. There were only seven horns given, and I have the only horn left when the Doom destroyed the others._"

Lord Belaerys stepped closer to their father, their noses mere inches from each other and their equivalent heights masking the power difference between them. "_With my horn, I can control your dragons at will and turn them against you. Your family may have been important dragonlords in Valyria, but we were far from equals. However, Valyria is gone and we're all that's left. I am willing to work with you in preserving what remains of our people and I will treat you and your children with the respect and kindness that they deserve once I become part of your family. But do not misinterpret my benevolence for weakness. Do we understand each other, Lord Targaryen?_"

Visenya saw the color drain from their father's face, the confidence that he previously had extinguished with how much more powerful their new guest truly was. It was true that the Targaryens were far from the most powerful dragonlord family in Valyria, and now they saw a reminder of their previous station.

"_Yes, we have an understanding_," their father replied while trying very hard to hide his trembling.

Lord Belaerys let out a sigh before easing up and smiling. "_Well, I think I've shown you enough today. How about we discuss further particulars in your solar_?" Their father bobbed his head, simply accepting the reality of the situation. Lord Belaerys exchanged a look with Visenya before walking with their father back into the castle.

While Rhaenys, Aegon, and Orys wordlessly followed them, Visenya began reflecting on what just happened while the servants slowly returned to their duties. She was definitely frightened by Belaerys' display, but her thoughts turned to Belaerys himself. Although he had the looks and maturity that she was looking for in a man, she felt something stir inside her at the man that completely surprised her. He was no pushover and he knew how to get what he wanted, like a true dragon.

_If I didn't desire him before, I certainly desire him now_.

**I was struggling to find a way where Jaenyx will not pushed around by Lord Targaryen and I didn't want to make Jaenyx so OP with a dragonhorn. However, in the context of the universe and having already mentioned that the Belaerys' were wealthier and more powerful than the Targaryens, I feel that having a dragonhorn would make sense since a dragonhorn was a symbol of how much power a dragonlord family had over those that didn't have one. By having him use the dragonhorn and taking control of their dragons, Jaenyx showed that he was not to be messed with and warned their father against any attempt to manipulate. His meeting with the other families that came with him made him decided to show his hand. Hopefully, this is a reasonable inclusion and that all of you won't see Jaenyx as an OP character that makes the Targaryens irrelevant (they definitely won't be). **

**As for Visenya's attraction for Jaenyx, she definitely sees a person who won't take crap from anyone and knows how to get what he wants. Good looks aside, she appreciates someone who has maturity and can understand struggle, which she has done her entire life at that point. However, I also think that she's also attracted to power, which explains her obsession with Valyrian blood rituals and with the powerful culture that was Valyria, which arrives with Jaenyx and his people. Then, Visenya saw what true power looks like after seeing Jaenyx use the dragonhorn. Possessing assertiveness and great power is a potent mixture that can easily go wrong, but Visenya also saw that Jaenyx was level-headed and actually cared for others. In Jaenyx, she sees the perfect man and will now stop at nothing to make him hers. But don't worry, their relationship will be a loving one, eventually. **

**Wow, this chapter was really fun to write. I don't own anything besides Jaenyx (had to say that in case of copyrights). And I will post a picture for this story. Also, for the dragonhorn sound, it's exactly like the alien tripods in the WAR OF THE WORLDS (2005). It sounded so ominous and so perfect that I had to use to visualize the dragonhorn's nature. Lmk what you all think. Hope you enjoyed it and have a great day :) **


	5. Jaenyx II

JAENYX II

Jaenyx agreed upon the wedding with Lady Visenya to take place by the week's end and that the ceremony will take place within the Targaryen's castle in the presence of their vassals. While they settled upon most of the intricate details of the ceremony including the choice of wine (Arbor gold), Jaenyx had issues with two customs that the Targaryens and other Westerosi lords practiced.

"_You want my ceremony to be conducted by some fat fool dressed in rich robes who preaches about some imaginary deities? Surely you jest, Lord Targaryen_." Although he had little knowledge of Westeros' belief system called the Faith of the Seven, he could sense the man-made nature of it and would not tolerate having to stoop so low as to allow one of its preachers, a "septon" as they were called, oversee his wedding vows.

"_I will be honest with you, Lord Belaerys. I don't really profess strong belief in the Faith, as I see the septons and septas just as greedy and hot-tempered like the lords they say they're different from. But if our family continued to express devotion to Valyria's gods from the time Aenar Targaryen came to Dragonstone, our position would have been more precarious as the Blackwater Bay is full of houses devoted to the Faith. One of our vassals, the Sunglasses as you may be aware, is one of those houses and I cannot ignore the three hundred fighting men they command_."

Jaenyx could not argue with Lord Targaryen's pragmatism, which was important for Valyria's remnants in the face of a world that had tried to erase their presence from existence after the Doom. At the same time, he could not understand why the Targaryens could countenance people that saw Valyrian customs and magic as abominations, and they had dragons named after three of Valyria's gods! It was as if the Targaryens became superficial in their preservation of their Valyrian roots and adopted a way of life inimical to that of the Valyrians. As much as Jaenyx liked Rhaenys and could see both of them being friends over their appreciation of music, she and her brothers were too Westerosi for his taste and acclimatized to the ways of a society rooted in an institution that he was sure was created to squeeze more coin from regular folk. Seeing them speak the common tongue as their first tongue was disconcerting to him, as that was further proof of how they truly saw themselves.

"_Furthermore, if I don't have a septon oversee your vows at the wedding, that might be a slight to the guests from the Blackwater Bay that I will invite_."

Jaenyx shook his head. "_I don't need a large ceremony and certainly don't need the people who will be attending to be of those who don't hold Valyrian blood in their veins_."

Lord Targaryen became exasperated. "_This is the one of the concerns that come with being a lord. Not only do I have people under me that I am responsible for, I have external concerns that require diplomatic approaches. I am not naive to believe that the dragons will get everything I need from the rest of the Blackwater Bay, as I cannot expect to get the additional grain and livestock that cannot be grown on Dragonstone without meeting halfway with those I deal with. My wife's family, the Velaryons, and our other Valyrian vassals in the Celtigars would tolerate a ceremony devoted to Valyria's gods, but the others who come most surely won't. Also, having many guests at the ceremony will communicate to the other lords that my daughter is taken and the proposals for her hand will stop._"

Again, Jaenyx could not dispute his reasonings. At the same time, he could not believe how much the Targaryens compromised with their Valyrian roots to appease those inhabiting a backwater. He also caught how Lord Targaryen talked about being a lord, implying that he still saw him a green boy. _I'm nine and ten. Of course he'll think that. _

Jaenyx decided to apply his reasonings back to his face. "_You're absolutely right. Even those with dragonblood have to exhibit tact with those he or she chooses to negotiate with. With that said, I have responsibilities to myself and my people. We never had much interaction with the rest of the world, getting what we needed such as livestock and timber from the shores of Sothoryos since nobody of importance inhabited that continent. Our ease in getting supplies from the Sothoryosi wilderness, made much easier with Cloudwynd, allowed us to remain rooted in the ways of Valyria and you of all people, Lord Targaryen, should know how proud Valyrians can be._"

Lord Targaryen continued to listen, but kept a neutral face.

Jaenyx continued. "_What do you think will happen if I allowed this septon to oversee my wedding vows? I will certainly lose the respect and affection that I have had to gain through blood and sweat from those that trusted me enough to cross the narrow sea to this island. The only reason why my people tolerate your family is because they've seen your children ride the dragons, which only those with dragonblood could do. However, having this septon at my wedding would be one step too far since they wouldn't dare stand for the beliefs of Westerosi mongrels. You'll be facing unrest from your new residents before the year is out._"

Lord Targaryen absorbed his words, him not thinking through the situation from Jaenyx's eyes evident. He could see that Lord Targaryen did not like this predicament, the self accustomed with the ways of Westerosi nobility clashing against the self that longed for closeness with the Targaryens' Valyrian origins. Besides Visenya, Jaenyx could see that Lord Targaryen was the most affinitive with Valyria's history and traditions, his switching between the common tongue and High Valyrian more comfortable than with Aegon and Rhaenys. He didn't know what to think of their half-brother Orys Baratheon, as he obviously could comprehend High Valyrian but was a complete Westerosi.

"_If not by a septon, who would oversee the wedding vows_?"

Jaenyx relaxed, pleased that Lord Targaryen let his Valyrian self freeing him from his Westerosi ways of thinking. "_The head of the Leniars is my cousin, his father being my mother's brother. Besides being well-versed in blood magic, he presided over dozens of weddings in the Valyrian tradition, with the essence of Valyrian gods present along with fire_."

Lord Targaryen's eyes widened, knowing full well what he was referring to. "_Are you referring to the ways of the Lord of Light, R'hillor?_"

Jaenyx shook his head. "_I've heard of them. While those red priests adopted the flame aspect of Valyria's gods, they removed them from their beliefs. Worshipping flames is worthless without dragons or their essence, a perversion that has apparently spread to much of Essos. My cousin will preside over the wedding, with either Cloudwynd or Vhagar being there to represent the gods, and your daughter and I will marry in a fashion befitting that of true dragonlords. That is non-negotiable, Lord Targaryen, and I will not stoop to the ways of Westerosi half-breeds!_"

Jaenyx felt his dragon temper revealing itself just for a moment at that last word. Usually in control of his emotions, no one could deny he had dragonblood when he finally allowed it into the open.

Lord Targareyen also saw this, which Jaenyx saw made him more careful in his deliberation. From what he gathered, worshipping the Lord of Light was frowned upon in Westeros. Then again, anything related to the wonders of Valyria was frowned upon. _No wonder this fucking continent is a breeding ground of close-minded simpletons._

Lord Targaryen took a few moments before nodding. "_Very well. I will allow your cousin to preside over the wedding, but I will have to limit the attendees to those of my vassals and your people to prevent as much slight from being felt as possible_." Jaenyx gave him a look that communicated his indifference. "_Also, since the wedding will not incorporate Westerosi traditions, I'm guessing you don't want a bedding ceremony to occur_?"

From what he gathered about a bedding, Jaenyx was unsure if his opinion for Westerosi customs couldn't sink any lower. "_I have no illusions as to how this betrothal came about, so I have no need for drunks saying otherwise. But I'll be damned if I let scoundrels and bitches touch my wife and I and tear at our clothes. As she will be my wife, I intend to make your daughter mine and mine alone, and I am sure that Lady Visenya feels the same. The most I will allow is for her brothers and Lady Rhaenys to accompany us to our chambers after the feast, so they are her family and soon, my family also. There, Lady Visenya and I will consummate our marriage in private._"

Lord Targaryen knew that there was no budging him on that and decided to accept it. "_I'll probably won't hear the end of it from my vassals after the wedding is done. But I accept these arrangements_."

Jaenyx slapped his hand lightly on the table, satisfied that his conditions were met. "_Well, I'm glad that this productive discussion led to our mutual satisfaction. I shall make the necessary preparations for the wedding and look forward to my time with your daughter from here on._" Dipping his head, he left the solar and decided to talk a walk around the castle.

_Lord Targaryen is a very intelligent man, understanding that there are consequences behind every action, and certainly responsible. I can see him trying to grasp his Valyrian roots and sense the longing for him to be what his family was, but he's too set in the ways of Westeros, a land where the magic of dragons cannot hope to survive. What made him like this?_ Jaenyx pondered as he rode towards the portions of Dragonstone that were granted to his people. He would have to look into it more closely, as he got the impression that Lord Targaryen would not be so considerate about the thoughts of Westerosi lords unless there was an underlying reason to it.

Jaenyx had affinity for Valyria's gods and sought to be married in true Valyrian customs. Yet, despite his insistence on how the ceremony was conducted, he personally saw belief as an indulgence. The gods were appropriately nonexistent when the Red Death swept through the Basilisk Isles and made nine out of ten people die slowly, with blood coming out of their orifices and their skin shredding like parchment. He saw his own father, Auryon Belaerys, slowly decay over a month and he could still remember when he lost his voice after screaming so much. He was three and ten at the time and had already seen his older brother, Gaerys or "Gary" as he called him, die when Ghiscari pirates invaded the Isles and put an arrow through his throat before being repelled by the Tarareons and others who took up arms. Gary choking on his blood and Jaenyx trying to pull the arrow out before seeing the light leave his eyes filled his dreams in some nights.

Out of thirty thousand people who inhabited the Basilisk Isles, two thousand were killed by the Ghiscari while the Red Death took most of the rest. Jaenyx nearly died himself of the Red Death, the pain of his shredding skin and the sight of his blood oozing out of his pores still clear as day to him. However, his mother was unwilling to see her last child die and performed a blood ritual accompanied with fire. He immediately became cured of his terrible affliction, but his mother stepped into the flames and was erased from existence. "_Only death can pay for life_" were her final words before giving him a last smile, a smile he longed to see and burned into his memory.

The prospect of taking his own life called at his door, with Jaenyx asking why he was still alive making suicide all the more tempting. However, his teacher, Master Konno Haru, told him something that was common among warriors in Nihon, one of the three major lands of Yi-Ti: _fumeiyo yori shi_, which meant "death before dishonor." Although he did not understand at first, Master Haru said to Jaenyx that a mother had a duty to her children and he said that his mother would have rather died than to see her last child perish before her. A hard lesson to accept, he ended thoughts about taking his life and rose up from ruin. If it was his time to die, Jaenyx would accept it. But he would not dishonor his mother's sacrifice by giving up.

As his father and brother always liked to say: "Skoros morghot vestri? Tubī daor." So before death took him, he would prove himself worthy of his mother's sacrifice.

"_Lord Belaerys!_" Jaenyx heard someone call out to him. To his surprise, he found Lady Visenya walking towards him, seeing more sway in her hips than usual. She also had a grin that became more obvious as she got closer, as if happy to see him. _What does she want from me? _

"_I trust that your discussion with my father went well?" _Lady Visenya was now speaking in High Valyrian instead of the common tongue, which caught Jaenyx off-guard. She also held out her right hand, expecting him to kiss it. Men even from the Basilisk Isles greeted women that way, especially those of noble blood. And yet, Jaenyx became more uneasy at how… lady-like she was in approaching him now, as he knew that she cared very little about proper etiquette.

Jaenyx took her hand and kissed it. "_Lady Visenya. I have had a productive conversation with your father. We agreed on the date of the wedding and other matters._"

"_Is that so?_" She expressed interest. "_When are we to marry?_"

"_By the week's end, in this castle._" Jaenyx saw no point in not telling, as she would be aware of it anyways.

"_I am pleased to hear that, as that's only four days from now. Waiting a long time for a simple ceremony to be completed can increase one's anxiousness, so it's best if we just marry as soon as possible._" She wore a bright smile on her face, which didn't help make the conversation easier for Jaenyx. "_Where are you headed right now, Lord Belaerys?" _

"_Nowhere in particular. I am just walking around the castle_," Jaenyx admitted.

"_How about we walk to the training yard? I heard from my dear sister that you were interested in me after she told you that I am good at swordplay. I would like to show you some skills I have_."

Jaenyx was surprised at how direct she was in asking him that. _Well, that's one thing we have in common. We cut to the chase. _

As they walked together to the training yard, Jaenyx saw that Visenya was more loose in walking posture and she grinned. This was not like the hard woman he first saw at the clearing, who looked ready to disembowel him while remaining calm about it. Granted, she was not grabbing at him and squeezing the life out of him like some smitten girl, but she was being too eager when she had him accompany her to the training yard.

Jaenyx saw Aegon and Orys sparring with who he assumed was the castle's master-at-arms. A large man who wore riding leathers, he took on Aegon and Orys one at a time. Jaenyx observed how the both of them fought, which was quite similar and the only difference being in strength. Aegon tried to overcome his opponent with thrusts and parries, using his strength to hammer down on his opponent's sword and push against him with his upper body. The one thing that Jaenyx saw that Aegon was doing correctly was his footwork, as he was firmly placed on the ground and would not budge easily against the other's attacks.

As for Orys, Jaenyx saw a man whose strength only came from being tall. He reckoned him being at least six feet and five inches, easily towering Aegon and himself. His gray tunic and leather vest just barely covered his massive chest and abdomen, which wasn't purely muscle. Instead of a sword, he saw Orys fighting the master-at-arms with a wooden war hammer, an apt tool for ones seeking to use brute strength. Jaenyx only saw strike after strike with Orys. _He's strong, but he's not imaginative_. He started to doubt how this man came from dragonblood, since Lord Targaryen was at least intelligent and he did not see that with Orys.

Aegon and Orys strived to be knights, which made them limited in how they fought. They believed strength was the deciding factor in any battle and that the mark of a great warrior was beating their opponent using the skills they also knew. More seriously, they took these spars too lightly, with Orys grabbing the wooden sword of the master-at-arms and Aegon simply shrugging off the blows to his body. _These two will get crushed if they ever fought Master Haru._

Jaenyx learned how to wield a sword from Master Konno Haru, who was a warrior back in Nihon. He stressed how a sword was to be treated as an extension of one's soul, something that personified the self. Whether in training or in battle, Master Haru taught Jaenyx to swing the sword as he would against death. That was one of the reasons why he had gifted him his katana and wakizashi on his twelfth nameday, because he now tools of his own and thus more reason to treat them like a part of himself. The seriousness that Master Haru stressed was absent in Aegon and Orys.

"_What are you thinking about, Lord Belaerys_?" Visenya brought him out of his stupor. "_I'd like to show you some of my skills._"

Jaenyx saw Visenya walk up to Aegon and Orys, her practice sword securely gripped as she took a combat stance. Smiling at their sister joining them, Aegon and Orys took her on one at a time. That was when he saw how her style and theirs were fundamentally different.

While Aegon and Orys would attempt to strike her with sheer strength, Visenya was quick with her feet and exhibited agility when avoiding their strikes. While both of her brothers would scream, she remained calm. While both would attempt to strike at her chest, she was not above using her practice sword to hit Aegon right in the leg and send him falling hard to the ground while kicking Orys in the balls and struck him in the face with the hilt. With both of her brothers on the ground and writhing in pain, Jaenyx was surprised that they did not try to tear her head off. Maybe the only reason they did not try to was because she was family and this was probably not the first time she did this. Their collective painful laughs confirmed that for him.

"Same old, same old, big sister," Aegon remarked as he stood back up with Visenya helping both of them. "The trappings of knighthood would be wasted on you."

"Don't count on it," Visenya retorted lightly. "Hey, Egg, Orys, I'm going to spar with Lord Belaerys for a bit. Can you give us some space?"

_Wait, spar? Is that what she meant by showing her skills?_ Jaenyx thought before he mentally sighed. If there was anything he should learn quickly about his betrothed, it was that she could not resist any opportunity to learn. And he was next on her list.

Aegon handed him a practice sword. Resembling a longsword, it felt clumsy compared to the bokkens he used when practicing with Master Haru. The hilt was definitely an issue, as that limited his range of motion with the sword. However, Jaenyx saw his betrothed already at the ready, her smirk clear as day. There was no getting out of this. She wanted to know how good he was with a sword and would stop at nothing to get what she wanted.

Pondering on this other similarity he shared with her, Jaenyx got into the stance drilled into him by Master Haru: knees bent while leaning on his back leg and turning to right side. Taking a low guard, he breathed slowly and felt his thoughts empty his mind. He entered a state that Haru said was called mushin, or 'no mind' in his best interpretation. He gave Visenya a gaze of pure, implacable focus, with his breathing slowing everything down in his mind. Instinct and reflexes would influence his actions, as both began to reveal glimpses of what his betrothed would do. Swordplay in Nihon would not last more than four to six strokes, which was how long he intended for his spar to last. Visenya caught his dead calm stare, causing her to blink before going back in her stance.

Jaenyx struck first with a horizontal swing at Visenya, which she blocked. She attempted a downward slice, which Jaenyx avoided by moving to the right and allowing her sword to slide off his. Jaenyx also tried a downward slice, which Visenya blocked with blade perpendicular to his. Getting closer to each other, their swords touched before they both turned around at the same time. They slid some distance from each other before Visenya charged forward and attempted an upward slice. Moving slightly to the right, Jaenyx swung downward with all of the momentum he could muster and struck her sword, her one-handed grip giving way and the sword falling to the ground. He then brought his sword up to Visenya's throat, the result obvious to the crowd who gathered around.

Jaenyx lowered his sword before returning it to Aegon. Both Aegon and Orys were stunned at how he fought, not expecting to see their sister's calm and speed surpassed by their soon-to-be good-brother. They also flinched at the ice stare he carried even after the swordplay ended, not surprising due to their obliviousness of the deeper connection between sword and man.

Jaenyx exchanged glances with Visenya before turning to leave the courtyard, not noticing her eyes following him and her smile growing bigger. What he did see was Rhaenys watching from the balcony, absolutely beaming at the sight. _She's probably going to say "I told you so" to myself and her sister and brothers until after the wedding. Will it ever end?_

**Jaenyx is on a high after showing what he can do, which prompts him to demand his ceremony not including a septon and not having a bedding ceremony, right in front of Lord Targaryen. Although he doesn't believe in the Faith, Lord Targaryen shows his pragmatic side as well as what he still thinks of Jaenyx. As for Jaenyx, we see him also not believing in a divine power and can be just as pragmatic as thoughtful as Lord Targaryen. He also realizes that there is a deeper motive as to why Lord Targaryen, despite trying to cling to the ways of Valyria, has become set in the Westerosi ways of thinking. That can't be good. **

**Jaenyx refusing a bedding ceremony is not out of love for Visenya. While he's still wary of her and doesn't want to adopt Westerosi customs, he really begins to come around to being married to Visenya and understands that she feels the same. Therefore, while not liking how he got betrothed in the first place, like Visenya he's going to make the most out of it and will make sure to start any relationship with her on solid ground. Not having a bedding ceremony is a very good way for them to explore each other and become intimate. Their relationship will become loving after some time. **

**It's difficult to write fight scenes, especially ones that can communicate meaning, but I tried my best. Hopefully, this is enough. Part of the scene was inspired by the LAST SAMURAI, which I will continue to reference in the story. **

**I don't want to drag out the days preceding the wedding since I want to move on to the parts I want to write: how Aegon's Conquest will drastically change with Belaerys' presence. However, I also did not want to rush it and not include a meaningful interaction between Visenya and Jaenyx since they are going to be married. I wanted to show how the relationship will progress naturally, so hence this chapter. **

**This also plays into Visenya's growing attraction to Jaenyx, as she saw how similar they were in fighting tho he surpasses in speed and being calm. She doesn't love him yet and is merely exploring the specimen in Jaenyx that is slowly getting her full attention. It also highlights how Rhaenys and Visenya are similar in letting their curiosity determine their actions, tho it manifests differently in Visenya. **

**That aside, we learn more about Jaenyx's background, how much he lost, and how that affects him. We also see part of what is driving him on after resisting the temptation of suicide. However, this is not everything about his past and there will be more to reveal as the story goes on. **

**There will be further interactions with Konno Haru, who is from Yi-Ti but because it's more of a label for East Asia than an actual country, I've decided to include Japanese and Korean culture in describing Haru. His teachings have certainly been beneficial for Jaenyx, but we'll later see the limits and how flawed Haru is. And he's not the only one from Yi-Ti who came with Jaenyx (don't worry, they'll be important and not a random inclusion). **

**I don't know if I should include a chapter centering on Orys Baratheon. From what I can get from canon and judging from the Baratheon brothers, he's not very interesting and was known to be great warrior, which is not saying much considering he killed the Storm King and married his daughter soon after he did. Granted, he may have treated her with respect, but so did every knight in that period. He becomes more uninteresting after he loses his hand in Dorne. What do you think? **

**Next, we have Rhaenys controlling all of the wedding prep and being the most cheerful at the ceremony. Stay tuned!**


	6. Rhaenys II

**Really excited about HBO announcing the prequel, which takes place 300 years before GOT canon and covers the events of the Targaryens leading up to the Dance of the Dragons, which is probably the most interesting and most destructive period in the history of Westeros. The timing of the prequel and this piece seems pretty auspicious. Hmmm... **

**While I look forward for characters like Aegon, Rhaenys, and Visenya being brought to life, the prequel will not affect the bearing of this story as I am not retelling history. If anything, I'm changing it since we have Jaenyx in the picture. **

**On that note, here is the wedding we have been looking forward to. Enjoy! **

RHAENYS II

A wince left Visenya's lips as she jerked her head to the side. "Please, Vis. It'll only take a moment," Rhaenys offered as she guided her head back into place. "I know you normally don't do this, but you'd want hair perfect for the ceremony. Isn't that right, muña?"

Their mother, Lady Valaena Targaryen, had just returned from her Velaryon siblings at Driftmark four days ago. Although overjoyed at the existence of another dragonlord, she became incensed at their father offering up her oldest daughter to this stranger without telling her first. They exchanged a few heated words, words that Rhaenys never thought would leave her mother.

"WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?! VIS IS MY DAUGHTER TOO!" Rhaenys heard her mother say through the door of their father's solar.

"I had to consider what I had to do at the moment, Val!" their father responded in defense. "We had a dragonlord come to our shores, the only one besides us that survived the Doom. Not only that, he brought three families that played a pivotal role in how Valyria rose to its zenith, one of whom preserved the knowledge of forging Valyrian steel."

"I DON'T CARE IF HE BROUGHT THE FUCKING COFFERS OF THE IRON BANK! YOU SOLD MY DAUGHTER TO THIS OUTSIDER AND I DON'T CARE IF HE HAS A FUCKING DRAGON!"

"If she was going to marry some nobody lord or even one of our Valyrian vassals, that would've been true. However, think about it, Val! Our daughter will marry a dragonlord, who is deeply rooted in the ways of Valyria and is bringing people who will be of great help to us. Moreover, she seems to like the idea of marrying Lord Belaerys, which cannot be said about when I decided to have Egg marry Vis."

There was a pause. "Is that true, Aerion?" Rhaenys heard her mother, calmer.

"Yes, Val. She didn't like it at first, but even she and Egg cannot deny that they'll be unhappy with each other. Over the last few days, she and Lord Belaerys had a spar and started to spend more time together, either in the training yard or in the library. She's even acting more like a lady around him, which she never does."

Rhaenys still remembered that spar between Visenya and Jaenyx. Visenya was incredibly agile and fast, but Jaenyx exceeded in her both. In that spar, he held the training sword with both hands, which threw Visenya's out of her one-hand grip. For the next four days, they were seen in the training yard and their movements resembled more of a dance than sparring by how fluidly they combated each other. In addition, they spent hours in the library whenever Jaenyx wasn't helping his people settle onto the portions of Dragonstone their father granted him. She could only guess what they talked about.

"Still, Aerion. I don't like the idea of a stranger fucking my daughter after the wedding, dragons be damned. That's why I agreed to Egg marrying Vis."

"Val, he has a dragonhorn."

Rhaenys heard a gasp. Even their mother knew what that was. "Truly?"

"Yes, but it can only be used by someone carrying Belaerys blood. That means whatever children Vis has with Lord Belaerys will be able to use the horn also. Think about it. Our daughter will marry a man who possesses stronger dragonblood and our grandchildren will become stronger dragons as a result. There's everything to gain from this union."

Rhaenys fought the urge to giggle at the thought of Visenya being pregnant, the sight of her belly growing big and then seeing her water break would be a sight she would not miss for the world. The warrior dragon that is her sister brought down by the pains of childbirth. That was as golden as the thought of Rhaenys becoming an aunt. _Hopefully, he's as good in bed as he is in the training yard. Otherwise, Vis might cut his throat and get Vhagar to kill Cloudwynd after finding out he put his seed in her._

"You have it all thought, haven't you?" Rhaenys knew that was more of a statement than a question.

"It won't be all bad, Val. Besides being a dragonlord, having strong dragonblood, and bringing those rooted in old Valyria here, he's handsome and he knows how to lead people despite his youth. He's only a year older than Vis and they are off to a good start. In addition, he's very audacious, a fact that I've learned a little too late when he pulled out his dragonhorn. Our daughter will be in good hands," their father tried to assuage their mother.

Silence filled the solar, but Rhaenys could still hear the breathing between them. "You better hope that this goes smoothly, or I will cut your fucking cock off and throw it in the sea for the fish to feed on." Rhaenys just avoided being seen as their mother left their father's solar in a huff.

People would assume that a proper lady would be molded by an equally proper mother, which was only partially-true for Rhaenys. Their father, being the proper lord, taught her court etiquette and how to be refined while her mother taught her the lady-like activities such as sewing, dancing, and playing musical instruments. However, with Visenya being their first child and being new to childrearing, their mother was very unrefined with how she talked to her and passed on her disdain for social conventions onto her daughter while their father indulged Visenya's inclinations towards the sword and hard learning. Their mother could be lady-like at times, but one would rue the day her ire was stoked. Valaena's father, their grandfather, captained a ship and sailors were not known for controlling their tongues, one thing she certainly gained from him. Rhaenys suspected that was one reason why their father became happy with their mother even though his father Lord Daemion arranged for their union.

Their mother saw her soon-to-be good-son some of the time in Dragonstone's hallways, but did not approach him. Rhaenys tried to rectify that by inviting Jaenyx to dine with them, but their mother ignored him and instead focused on preparing for the ceremony. She had the guest quarters cleaned, as that was where Visenya and Jaenyx would spend their first night as man and wife. She directed the cooks to prepare their finest meals, hired musicians for the wedding feast, and sent out the invitations through raven. She also spent the days leading up to the wedding relearning her High Valyrian, as she mostly spoke the common tongue. However, she remained displeased with her daughter being given away and she did not hide that.

As for Rhaenys, she prepared with much more enthusiasm. She set upon sowing Visenya's wedding gown, with red and black being the colors, as she did not want her to marry in her usual mail and leather dresses. She prepared some songs she would sing at the feast, as she was the most eager in getting Jaenyx and Visenya together. She picked out her own dress and deliberated on what she will give to Visenya after the ceremony was done.

Also, Rhaenys approached Jaenyx to have a banner designed for him. She said that it was a Westerosi tradition for noble families to have a banner and words for their house. Jaenyx flatly refused, saying he had no need for such things and that only his name was needed. Switching approach, Rhaenys said that having a banner was by no means an affront to his Valyrian roots and that it would be wise for him to have something that people can recognize before they met him. She kept pestering him and seeing that she would not give up, he relented but only after he discussed it with the families that came with him. Then, she approached the head of the Leniars, his cousin Taygor, as well as the Tarareons and the Rahitheons to design their banners. She stated that having a banner would not be compromising their Valyrian ways, as even those in Essos like the Iron Bank of Braavos had symbols, and she was merely going to design them. They consented after much effort on her part. _Who knew Valyrians could be quite stubborn in their ways? Even though I come from Valyria._

Besides Visenya's wedding gown, Rhaenys and some female servants spent the next few days sewing together their guests' banners. The Tarareons chose a black-colored archer aiming to the rear while mounted on horseback in a field of tan to symbolize their prowess as horsemen and how they held the Rhoynar back centuries ago. They chose the words "Swift, Silent, Deadly".

Taygor Leniar, after deliberating with his family, chose a white-colored outstretched fist squeezing out blood red drops against a field of gray to symbolize their affinity for blood magic, which Rhaenys was sure would raise more than a few eyebrows. They adopted the words "Blood for a Life."

The Rahitheons decided upon a red and green-colored turtle against a field of dark blue. Confused by their choice, Rhaenys was surprised when they revealed that they were partially descended from water wizards taken captive after the Second Spice War, which saw Prince Garin of the Rhoynar captured and Princess Nymeria fleeing in her ten thousand ships. While the fire in their Valyrian blood had made them good builders and smiths, the water from their Rhoynish blood made them truly without equal as they could make any form with water at will. They chose the words "We Form from Fire and Water."

Rhaenys had the servants make their banners, as she focused on making a banner for Jaenyx herself. She knew that a dragon on his banner was a given, but Jaenyx hesitated on the colors and words. Their families soon to become equals, Rhaenys suggested a dragon colored after Cloudwynd, blue-green, against a field of black. The dragon faced the right side as opposed to their three-headed dragon facing the left, wings outstretched and blue fire with hints of red shooting out of its jaws. This would a banner that would be placed next to their own banner, a red three-headed dragon against a field of black, to symbolize the union of their families and how they were equal.

The words Jaenyx chose perplexed Rhaenys, as he did not deny their extremity. He chose "Death before Dishonor." _In another life, he might've been a great knight, as honor is all their rage_, she mused.

After completing the banners and having the servants hang them in the courtyard alongside the banners of their vassals, Rhaenys went to get her sister prepared.

"And… all done!" Rhaenys backed away before handing Visenya a mirror. She saw Visenya ran her hand against her smoothened hair, silver flowing all the way down her back. Although she preferred braids, Rhaenys saw Visenya most beautiful when she allowed her hair to flow freely. It matched her red and black gown that she saw, which ran to her ankles, the ruby-encrusted gold necklace around her neck, and the silver circlet encrusted in violets placed on her head. "A true beauty and proper lady of House Targaryen. Jaenyx will be mad with desire at the mere sight of you."

"Shut up," Visenya grumbled. But Rhaenys noticed a slight blush on Visenya's cheeks. _She likes him_, she thought mischievously.

"Vis," Rhaenys heard their mother speak. "Usually, mothers would be talking to you about what happens during a bedding. But as Lord Belaerys insisted on the two of you consummating your union in private, what's the point? Really just a young man and woman fucking."

While Visenya and Rhaenys wasn't shocked at their mother's strong language, Rhaenys was horrified at how she was describing what's supposed to be a magical night after the union of man and wife.

"Muña! How could you say that about your daughter's wedding night?"

Val shrugged. "It's true. Bedding ceremony or not, that's just what happens. Your kepa did that before he had Orys, and then us before we had all of you."

Visenya wasn't bothered. "Good thing I won't have a bedding ceremony. Don't need drunken scoundrels telling me how to go about my business."

"Don't you mean being able to have Jaenyx all to yourself?" Rhaenys countered. "Who knows what kind of things you'll both be doing without us taking your clothes off for you?"

Visenya shot her a glare. "Don't get any ideas, Rhae. I might not like how I got betrothed to him in the first place, but he will be my husband. He will be mine and mine alone, so keep your hands to yourself, little sister."

Rhaenys giggled, causing Visenya to lunge at her and Rhaenys to flinch. She still grinned, enjoying how possessive her sister was becoming of her soon-to-be husband. While she loved Aegon, she could not control the urge to make jests of Visenya coupling with Jaenyx.

"All right, let's stop this lewdness from getting out of control, ladies," their mother stepped in. She grasped Visenya's shoulders, staring straight into her eyes. "Whatever happens tonight, know that your family is with you. Do you know that?"

Visenya rolled her eyes, but only slightly annoyed at her worries. "Muña, I'll be fine. I can take care of myself."

They heard the door knock. "Come in," their mother called.

A servant came in the room. "My ladies, they're ready."

Letting out a collective exhale, the three women straightened their dresses and proceeded through the hallways towards the courtyard.

They found the rest of the Velaryons, the Celtigars, and the Sunglasses all gathered alongside their new guests. The Velaryon's seahorse, the Celtigar's crabs, and the Sunglass' stars hung alongside the Tarareon's mounted archer, the Leniar's squeezed fist with blood drops, and the Rahitheon's turtle. Centrally-placed and larger than the rest, the Targaryen's red dragon facing the Belaerys' blue-green dragon, banners placed at the same level to say to all that the dragons stood together.

Standing near the main gates was Taygor Leniar, Jaenyx's cousin through his mother's family, wearing black gowns and his long silver hair tied in a top bun and a pile of logs in front of him. He had piercing violet eyes, similar to Jaenyx, but was shorter than Jaenyx and possessed an average body that the gowns hid. He would be presiding over the ceremony held in Valyrian fashion. Rhaenys was perplexed at what exactly took place at a Valyrian wedding, with Taygor cryptically using her family's words, "Fire and blood."

Standing on the opposite side of the logs were their father, Aegon, and Orys. They were all dressed in black trousers with red and black tunics, with only Aegon and their father wearing the same silver circlets as Visenya, Rhaenys, and their mother. Orys was not a Targaryen since he was born out of wedlock with a Celtigar maid, but their father did not have the heart to abandon him.

Finally, standing opposite of his cousin was Jaenyx. Standing straight and looking directly at the three women, he had black trousers and a black and blue-green tunic, with a dagger tucked in his belt and his wavy silver hair straightened out. He looked exactly like a dragonlord of Valyria. Rhaenys also noticed the Yi-Ti man she saw on his ship, as well as three other men next to him, presumably also from Yi-Ti. They all wore blue robes, had their raven black hair tied in a bun, and trimmed beards. The old man held the blue-green cloak that would go over Visenya after all was done. _Why are they next to Jaenyx?_

Rhaenys and their mother stood back as Visenya took her place to Jaenyx. He stated that it was Valyrian custom for a man and woman to be married together, with no one giving them, as it would offend the gods to have subservience between those of the same blood. Rhaenys found that quite appealing and shared a look with Aegon, who smiled at her. _It'll be my turn soon and I shall enjoy life with Egg._

"Let the ceremony begin!" Taygor Leniar announced in his attempt at the common tongue before he began to chant Valyrian prayers. It was bizarre for Rhaenys, witnessing a wedding without a septon and with their Valyrian roots now coming out in the open. And yet, it felt right for her. Like a piece that was lost finally returning to make her whole.

The Sunglasses in attendance were all in discomfort save the Velaryons and Celtigars, both of whom wished to be within Valyria's grasp again. They repeated the Valyrian prayers when prompted, although some did not understand a word they were saying.

"_And now_," Taygor opened his eyes as his last prayer ended. "_Let us have the gods descend upon us and bring forth their blessings on this union of man and wife._" He signalled to both Visenya and Jaenyx, who both said a Valyrian command that caused both Vhagar and Cloudwynd to land on the castle's battlements, their heads pointing downwards at them.

"_Visenya of House Targaryen, do you take this man to be your husband?_" Taygor looked to Visenya.

"_I take this man_," Visenya declared, her smile only noticeable to her family and Jaenyx.

"_Jaenyx of House Belaerys, do you take this woman to be your wife?_"

"_I take this woman_," he responded confidently.

Jaenyx drew his dagger, rolled up the sleeve on his right arm, and cut along it. Not too deep to touch the vessels, but enough for the blood to ooze out of it. Rhaenys did not expect that and so did Visenya, who kept her surprise hidden. The guests were shocked at what they were seeing.

Jaenyx handed her the dagger. Nodding her head, Visenya took the dagger, rolled her sleeve, and cut along her arm.

"_Now stand before the gods to receive their blessing._" Both Jaenyx and Visenya moved forward to the log pile, with Jaenyx standing next to his cousin and Visenya remaining on her side.

Pointing his head at their dragons, Jaenyx gestured Visenya to do the same. "DRACARYS!" he yelled as Cloudwynd released her flames. Visenya followed suit, Vhagar pouring her flames to join Cloudwynd's.

With the logs on fire, Jaenyx put arms over the flames, his sleeve rolled enough to not catch fire. Visenya took his arm, both clasping their forearms and their cuts over the other, as if to move their blood to and from each other. Normal arms would fry and burn over flames and even those with dragonblood were not completely protected from them. However, blood and fire released a force that would give life and protect those willing to sacrifice. Over the fire, the blood of man and wife flowed from their cuts, a part of themselves latching on to the other and uniting them as one blood. As they withdrew their arms from the flame, Jaenyx saw his cut healed and Visenya also.

Gesturing for Visenya to come round to his side, Jaenyx unclasped her Targaryen cloak and threw it around himself. Getting his new Belaerys cloak from the Yi-Ti man, he handed it to Visenya, who threw it around herself. Both now under each other's protection.

"_In sight of the gods and men, I hereby bind these two souls together for eternity!"_ Taygor announced.

In a trance at the whole ceremony, Rhaenys beamed as Jaenyx cupped Visenya's cheek. She saw Visenya smile before she grabbed his neck, bringing his head down to hers and pulling him into a kiss that became deeper after some moments. Breaking their kiss, they both turned to the audience, all of whom cheered for the newly-weds. Or at least as best as they could.

Rhaenys threw flowers in the air, as Lord and now Lady Belaerys walked past her towards the feast in the great hall. She walked alongside Aegon, both exchanging smiles at the occasion and at thoughts of the future. _Soon, Egg. It will be us soon_.

**I had to take a lot of liberties with the whole ceremony. I took parts from how the red priests do it, but then I had to really get imaginative while keeping true to Valyrian tradition. Having Jaenyx and Visenya spill a little of their blood over fire, with their cuts healing, seemed right to me. I'm not sure if being unburnt is a Valyrian trait as not all the Targaryens had that, but I felt that the many blood rituals that the Valyrians were known for had to be pointed somehow and what better than Visenya and Jaenyx cutting their arms and having their blood mix with each other over fire? This is the first time I'm writing a wedding scene, so please bear with me. **

**I liked the idea of Valaena Targaryen being this rather foul-mouthed lady, as the Velaryons were mainly masters at sea and sailors are not for having filtered mouths. Rhaenys' somewhat dirty thoughts seemed too perfect to pass up, as canon described her as mischievous and I felt that was one way to show that. We also see that she's becoming a little sister to Jaenyx, which will be very important in the future. **

**Regarding the banners for Jaenyx and the new Valyrian families, I was thinking not putting that. But Rhaenys pointing out that it would not compromise their beliefs and the fact that banners are mostly for aesthetic reasons made me decide to go along with it. We also see a very interesting fact about the Rahitheons, having partial descent from Rhoynish water wizards, and Valyria's connection with the Rhoynar from centuries past will continue in this story.  
**

**Rhaenys' thoughts on Jaenyx's words: oh how little you know, Rhae.**

**Next up, we see Aegon observing the feast, excited for his chance with Rhaenys, his Westerosi self clashing with his dragon self, and then escorting his sister and now good-brother for the consummation. Stay tuned.**


	7. Aegon II

**Excited about the over 50 followers and the nearly 50 reviews. All of you are just awesome. Shoutout to osterreicher97, Longclaw 1-6, BornSinner01, and all the rest. All of you make writing this story all the more fulfilling for me. **

**One more chapter until the wedding arc is concluded. Hold tight, people! **

AEGON II

Wedding feasts being merry affairs were a given, as anyone from kings to smallfolk who were able spared no expense in making the hours after the exchange of wedding vows to be remembered vividly for those who partook. Bards, mummers, and musicians bringing out a memorable performance before the guests, laughter leaving their throats and ale pouring down them, were common features in any wedding. A lord hosting a wedding in his castle was a chance for other lordlings and whomever they brought with them to banter and become drunken rascals at their host's expense. Rhaenys also sang and played along with the band.

Aegon's mind was not dwelling on such commonalities at the moment. As the heir to Dragonstone, he was seated at the head table on their father's right, with their mother on the left. He sat next to Rhaenys, chatting away at Visenya and their good-brother after her performance was done. Orys sat the left end of the head table, talking and laughing with one of the ladies of House Sunglass. A lord would never have his bastard seated at the head table, especially at occasions like weddings. But their father was different and would rather damn himself to hells if he allowed his son, no matter the circumstances of his birth, feel mistreated. Their mother was understandably vexed at being near their father's bastard, but eventually came around and at the very least treated him with courtesy. This was also because he gave her three children of her own, a sign of his devotion to her and giving up his philandering ways.

Instead of enjoying the feast and joining with their guests in dancing, Aegon was reflecting on how so much has changed since Jaenyx arrived. At the start of the moon, he was resigned to marrying Visenya and living a life where he had to fulfill the needs of both her and Rhaenys. Their father made it clear that he would not stop him, which made his upcoming marriage with Visenya more bearable for him. He continued to be trained in a knightly fashion, looking forward to the day both he and Orys would add the title of "ser" to their names. Although not really committed to the Faith like the rest of the Blackwater Bay, Aegon had become used to the culture that the Faith influenced and grew up enamored with the heroic deeds that the bards would write of knights. _Ser Aegon Targaryen, first knight to ride a dragon into battle, fighting alongside Ser Orys Baratheon, honored by his father despite being a bastard. That would be one for the songs_, he mused.

Now, Aegon was attending the wedding feast held in honor of Jaenyx and Visenya Belaerys. He first felt relief at not marrying Visenya, as they both knew they would not be happy with each other, and could turn his full attention to making his marriage with Rhaenys a loving one. Then, he felt worried about the future, of what it behold for the Targaryens at Dragonstone. _She might now be a Belaerys, but she's still my sister_.

Over the past week since Jaenyx's arrival, everything changed down for their family. Nearly three thousand people started to settle at the parts of Dragonstone south and east of the Dragonmont, all of whom played a part in raising Valyria to the pinnacle of its civilization and who could easily overwhelm the six hundred swords sworn to the Lord of Dragonstone himself. Their forty-two to fifty vessels that they arrived on may not have been built for war, but Aegon's Velaryon cousins would be hard-pressed to contain a fleet that equalled their own in terms of numbers. And now there were four dragons flying over Dragonstone. _Six, if not counting the two wild ones inside the Dragonmont, but he doesn't know that yet_.

Aegon had a feeling that Jaenyx was more than met the eye when he first arrived on his dragon Cloudwynd, a feeling that proved true when he first saw his dragonhorn. A truly menacing article of black and gold, one would not doubt its power after seeing what it did to Balerion and Vhagar. How they responded to his commands brought absolute fear to Aegon's heart, the realization of Jaenyx being a much more powerful dragonlord than his family ever could be hitting upon him. Their servants and household gave a wide berth whenever Jaenyx walked by them, them having also seen what he did.

What was equally disconcerting for Aegon was how much time Jaenyx spent with their father. It warmed his heart to see Visenya spending more time with her now husband, her initial distress at her betrothal disappearing with each moment in Jaenyx's presence. However, Jaenyx spending more time with their father in his solar was a cause for concern. He still recognized the Westorosi air that came off their father when he was doing his lordly duties, but he started to become more… Valyrian in his mannerisms. He spoke High Valyrian more often, having to switch to the common tongue after remembering that most of their servants did not understand the language. He ceased his time at the sept altogether, though he wasn't a pious man to begin with and only had that built to appease his trading partners in the Blackwater Bay, while spending more time with Jaenyx in learning more about and worshipping Valyria's gods and goddesses. He also had Dragonstone's maester, Harrion, return to the Citadel, stating he no longer needed his services. Aegon protested his father's expelling Maester Harrion, as he, Rhaenys, and Visenya knew him all their lives and much of what they knew was because of him. But it was clear that their father was beginning to cut off any connections he had with Westeros. _The father I know is disappearing, or maybe he was always like this and needed someone like Jaenyx to bring his other self into the open._

Thinking back to Visenya, Aegon had always known that she had… peculiar interests beyond learning how to wield a sword. Maester Harrion tried to hide all of the books relating to Valyria's history and their more shocking rituals away from her wandering eyes, but she always found them no matter where he hid them. Aegon did not care that Visenya was an eager reader of real books, not the ones relating to the stories of love like that Jonquil and Florian, or that she was on her way to becoming a strong warrior in her own right despite both he and Orys complaining about her "cheating." Visenya was his sister and a dragon, and he would be damned before he allowed himself or others to try to turn her into something that she wasn't.

At the same time, Aegon saw glimpses of Visenya delving deeper in her learning about Valyrian blood magic, of which Jaenyx and his Leniar cousins served as direct sources. It seemed all wrong to him. The maesters and the septs all condemned Valyria's magic, seeing it as a reason of why the Doom happened. He had read about their rituals in pastime, and was content to accept what the books said at face value. He mostly devoted his efforts towards becoming a great warrior and knight while learning the duties of a lord when he would take over Dragonstone.

But after seeing what happened when Jaenyx and Visenya exchanged their vows, Aegon began to doubt what he knew. He was sure that the maesters could not explain how a fresh cut along the arm could suddenly be healed over fire, especially those from dragons, while condemning the practice altogether. He did not know what to think of the ritual, but at the same time, it felt… right to him. Maybe it was the dragonblood in his veins that made him feel less unsettled than most at the wedding, but he was not as unsettled as others in the wedding. It was a connection that the books or the sept could not explain, a feeling that ran deeper than the earth.

"What are you thinking, Egg?" Aegon heard Rhaenys as he turned to her.

"Just thinking about how much has changed in the last week," he admitted.

Rhaenys nodded in understanding. "It has. Not only do we have more people living with us, we now have a new addition to our family. It's… very beautiful." Aegon could see a hint of tears forming in her eyes.

Aegon smiled, happy that this was one thing that remained the same. Rhaenys might have been too prone to romantic feelings, but that was what he liked about her. The pressures from being a lord and the exhaustion that came from the training yard disappeared upon seeing her sweet smile, her beautiful dancing, and her divine playing of music. It brought more joy to him knowing that they would soon be together forever.

Aegon stroked her cheek. "It is, Rhae. Vis will be in good hands and we have more one more dragon with us. And this will be us soon."

Rhaenys grabbed his hand and gave a soft kiss on it. "Yes, Egg. Can't wait for that to happen. Although Orys here has still not found a woman of his own."

Aegon's smile grew smaller in sadness of the reality of Orys' circumstances. No proper lady would ever want to marry a bastard and it pained him that his older brother would be denied the love that he and Rhaenys would share, and hopefully Visenya and Jaenyx. "Orys would be foolish to believe that he has no love in his life. He has us and he has father. I'm sure there's a woman out there that would love him no matter how he was born."

Rhaenys nodded in hopefulness. She, Aegon, and Visenya never cared about Orys being a bastard. He got the impression that Jaenyx did not care about how he was born either, although he suspected that his distant and infrequent interactions with Orys was more because he saw him as a complete Westerosi lacking in any Valyrian characteristics. _I would have to talk to him and make it clear that I will not tolerate anyone mistreating my brother._

The band finished their final tune, which got them a huge round of applause from the guests. Then, he saw Jaenyx rise from his seat next to Visenya and gestured his servant at the hall's left door, prompting the servant to open the doors for more servants, all of whom brought chests and laid them in front of the head table.

"_My lords and ladies_," Jaenyx began, with one of his servants translating into the common tongue for their guests to understand. "_I want to thank you all for the festivities making this night a night to remember_." He earned nods of approval and some cheers, but all of whom were still wary of this… upstart as Aegon heard. "_To House Velaryon, your gifts of large wooden galley models will make a fine addition to the household of Belaerys and serve as a reminder of your family's mastery over the ocean, as well as who we can call on if we ever need help on the seas._" He got a nod of thanks from Lord Velaryon.

"_To House Celtigar, you gifted my wife and I with a horn that is said to call krakens from the sea. I look forward to putting the horn to the test and to keep it as a reminder of why the Celtigars are so valued by my good-father_." Lord Celtigar nodded, smiling in appreciation to his words.

"_To House Sunglass, you gifted us with a set of silver chalices with dragons engraved all over them. It was a gift truly proper for dragonlords and we shall look forward in being reminded of who we really are every day, as well as who remains below while the dragons fly high in the sky_." Aegon caught his meaning, and apparently so did Lord Sunglass. He was aware of the Sunglass' poor attempts to have Visenya join their family and he was making it clear as to why they failed. Lord Sunglass forced a smile, though the rest of the hall saw his face grow red in embarrassment.

"_I shall give proper thanks to other lords and ladies present for their gifts in the days after tonight. However, it is time that I present my own gifts to my new family._" He had the servants open the chests in front of the head table and Aegon did not expect to see what came from inside them.

"_Lord Targaryen,_" Jaenyx first approached him. "_You made this wedding possible and as my good-father, you deserve a gift befitting of one with dragonblood._" He held his hands out, which revealed a set of rings with rubies encrusted on all of them. "_These belonged to my grandfather, Lord Baesellar Belaerys of the Basilisk Isles_. _He lived to see ninety name days and the magic flowing from these blood rubies and the fire from the valyrian steel that made these rings allowed him to live longer than most men could, passing away only when he took them off. I hope that these rings will allow you to live for centuries, as long as the dragons._"

Their father took the rings from Jaenyx's hands, looking over them in awe. He put them on all of his fingers, come around the table to stare Jaenyx square in his eyes. Although they did not yet have a loving bond with each other, Aegon knew that they respected each other. Jaenyx giving him a family heirloom meant he was fulfilling his promise to treat them all with kindness and respect, which their father returned with an embrace. "_Thank you, my son_," he heard him say.

There were cheers in the hall before Jaenyx continued. "_Lady Targaryen_," he moved towards their mother. "_I might not have known you as long as your husband and children, but you deserve a gift suiting one who had raised fine dragons._" He brought forth a necklace with green-colored beads and a large sapphire in its center. There were markings over the steel lining around the sapphire, markings that Aegon did not recognize as Valyrian or even that of the runes of the First Men he had studied. "_This necklace was originally made in Yi-Ti, and the green color of the beads is the natural color of jade, a mineral as valuable as gold in the rest of the world. The Yi-Ti say that jade represents purity, gentleness, and love, all of which I know that you gave to your children. So let this necklace be a reminder of your success as a lady and mother_."

Aegon saw Jaenyx pause when he said "mother", not forgetting that he had lost his parents. Maybe one day, he'll find out how she died. Now, she saw their mother round the table and gave him a light embrace, although it was not as strong as their father's. "Thank you," she said while more cheers followed.

"_Aegon,_" Jaenyx turned to him. "_We're brothers now and I've seen the way you handle yourself with the sword. Although I know that Blackfyre will protect you well, let this serve you where Blackfyre can't_." He held out a Valyrian steel sword with a black-colored dragon crossguard, red handle, and a yellow sapphire that matched Balerion's eyes. What Aegon noticed was that unlike Blackfyre, this was a greatsword and thus allowing greater reach than with Blackfyre. Aegon took a moment to marvel at the sword.

"How did you get this?" Aegon asked, eyes still looking over the blade.

"_Some of the Rahitheons had blades already made from when we were at the Basilisk Isles, but not the hilts. I had them make that one over the next few days from some of the valuables we had_."

Putting the sword down next to his heat, Aegon came to Jaenyx and hugged him tightly. "Thank you, brother." Although still unsure of Jaenyx, he knew that he was more at ease with him thanks to his actions.

Jaenyx returned the hug. "_Not a problem, Aegon._" He moved towards Orys, which surprised everyone present. "_I know we may not have the closest bond, but I saw you handle yourself with a warhammer at the training yard. And now you will have a weapon that will always serve you well, one that served the Tarareons when Valyria defeated the Rhoynar_," he held out a Valyrian steel axe, with a head as large as Orys' and a shaft as long as his legs.

Orys looked over the axe, surprised that Jaenyx even considered him. However, both he and Aegon knew that he did this to avoid disrespecting their father and family and not really because he saw him as his brother. "Thank you," Orys managed. Appearances still mattered.

"_I will save my wife's gift for last, for my gift to Rhaenys is not a material object. I am told that you liked music, sister_." She nodded, giddy at what he was going to do. "_I have prepared a song that I am sure you, your family, and the hall will enjoy. And this will be a new experience for you all, for I will play a tune that is dear to the hearts of those back in Nihon, one of the three lands of Yi-Ti._" He gestured to three men Aegon recognized were from Yi-Ti, all of them carrying large harp-like tables to the front of the hall.

After setting down the harp tables, which Aegon heard were called kotos, Jaenyx and two of the Yi-Ti men sat down and played. It was a tune in a style that Aegon had never heard before, all of them playing in perfect harmony and their strings giving off a sound that harps could not match. It quickened before slowing down momentarily, taking moments to focus on one note at a time. There were quick note changes in some places before the pace, playing the beginning sounds of the song, quickened and slowed down again. What Aegon noticed that harmony existed throughout the song. Although not a music lover like Rhaenys, he knew that this song was synchronous and the sounds too perfect. More importantly, there was a calming feeling that came from the song, as if his mind was taken to a state where he could focus on his inner calm and ponder about the deep questions. _Hang on. Why am I feeling this way? Why do I feel so… contemplative? Something's not right_.

What was more surprising to Aegon was seeing Visenya watching the whole performance. She was easily bored with music, but here she was listening carefully. And Aegon could see that she was liking the calming effect the music seemed to give off. _I don't believe it. She's listening to music and not being averting her eyes._

The song finished, with a round of applause in the hall following. Rhaenys came round the table and hugged Jaenyx tightly, thanking her brother for such good music.

"_And now for my wife's gift. This was the most difficult to choose, for I am sure everyone knows how much of a hard woman she is_." There were murmurs of agreement, which Jaenyx absorbed before pulling out his final gift. Unlike the others, this was not a sword or jewellery. This was a blue silk dress, though not one in the normal sense.

"_This is called a dragon coat, but this is not a dress in the traditional sense. As you can see, the silk is woven together with plates protecting the torso and shoulders, all of which are made of Valyrian steel. Each of the silk threads has been dipped in dragon's blood, which together with the Valyrian steel plates make this impermeable to everything up to dragonfire. This was what Jaenara Belaerys wore when she explored Sothoryos and has been passed down to every Belaerys woman since then. The silk was dipped in the blood of her own dragon, Terrax. And as a woman acknowledged as a warrior in her own right and now carrying the name Belaerys, I can think of no one better to wear this coat than you._"

Visenya held out the dress, eyes in wonder at such a fine work. _You crafty bastard_, Aegon thought. Visenya's leather dresses with chainmail were the only dresses that she would bear to wear. Now, Jaenyx gave her a dress that would not only made her look more beautiful, but fulfilled her need to be protected like a warrior should. On top of that, the blue silk also symbolized Visenya being a Belaerys. _No matter her name, she is our sister. We are three heads of a dragon and nothing can change that_.

Putting the dress on her left arm, Visenya walked to Jaenyx and pulled him in for a deep kiss. Everyone in the hall cheered, save the Sunglass'.

"And now," their father stood up. "It's time for Lord and Lady Belaerys to retire for the night. But rest assured, the feast will continue."

Getting the cue, Aegon stood up while handing his gift from Jaenyx to a servant, to be put in his room. He, Rhaenys, and Orys escorted their sister and their good-brother out of the hall to their chambers, their guests cheering for them as they walked out.

In the relative silence of the halls, Aegon could feel the nervousness coming from all of them. Rhaenys and Orys sharing his uncertainty in how their sister will fare in her wedding night, and Visenya and possibly Jaenyx unsure if their first night as man and wife would be a good one. All Aegon could hope for was Visenya being happy, for it would be truly painful to watch her growing attraction for her now husband come crashing down after what is supposed to be a memorable time for both of them.

Reaching Visenya's chambers, which they both agreed to spending their first night in, Visenya and Jaenyx turned around to see their family one last time before the plunge. Rhaenys hugged her sister and wished her a good night, which Visenya returned. Orys and Aegon also hugged her, no words exchanged but all of them knowing what they wished for her. Jaenyx hugged his good-sister, their fast friendship obvious to all, while Jaenyx embraced Aegon, respect evident to those who could see. Jaenyx looked up to Orys, clasping his hand but tension obvious. They saw Visenya walk first into their chambers before Jaenyx followed, both giving them a final look before closing the door.

Orys walked to return to the feast and the Sunglass lady he would most certainly try to seduce. As for Aegon and Rhaenys, they walked slowly through the hallways, their hands held tightly and big smiles growing on their faces. It will be their turn soon. _Yes, it will be us very soon, Rhae_, Aegon thought as he felt happiness spread through his body. He looked to see Rhae thinking the same thing. Before reentering the hall, Rhaenys put her arms around Aegon's neck and pulled him in for a kiss. They remained there for a few moments before returning to the feast.

**Whoooo! Almost done, guys! After the next chapter, we'll get into the juicy parts of this story, the Conquest of Westeros. **

**Through the gifts Jaenyx gave, I wanted to show more details of how he and his family were more powerful and wealthier than the Targaryens. I hope all of you don't see Jaenyx as this Marty Sue character, because he is incredibly damaged and flawed, a fact that I will emphasize in the later parts of this story. Having him gift the dragon coat was fitting since he was considering Visenya's warrior status. Her kissing him is her being touched, kicking their relationship off to a great start. **

**The tensions between Jaenyx and Orys will have dire consequences for when the Conquest happens. Jaenyx doesn't really hold Orys in high esteem, which obviously makes Aegon angry since he will not allow others to mistreat his brother, even if they are dragonlords. That will lead to a blowup during the Conquest. As I said, Orys is a boring character and probably the reason why Robert Baratheon was such an asshole. In addition, Aegon's Westerosi upbringing clashing with his Valyrian roots will have consequences, which will also affect Rhaenys.  
**

**The song is SAKURA SAKURA, a popular folk tune that is representative of Japan. **

**As I said, this is my first time writing a wedding scene. So please bear with me. Next, we get to see the couple's first night play out from Visenya's POV. Almost there! **


	8. Visenya II

**Had to take my time with this chapter since this was going to hit closer than anything I wrote so far and writing about something that I never wrote before. Plus, I was watching THE KING on Netflix, which talks about Henry V and is very phenomenal. But hey, this is the final chapter of the wedding arc and guess what? We're going to see the dragons conquer Westeros. **

**I told you all before, but your continued support makes this more worth pursuing. Without ado, here is Jaenyx and Visenya in their first night as man and wife. **

VISENYA II

Visenya looked around in her chambers, taking in the last night she'll sleep there and in the castle. Although her mother arranged for them to spend the night in the guest quarters, Visenya strongly insisted on spending her wedding night in her chambers and had to remind her that Jaenyx was now also family. At the morrow, she and fifty swords assigned by her father would move to a modest but comfortable keep in the northeast part of Dragonstone, which was previously used by her grandfather Lord Daemion as a place from which to sail across the Blackwater Bay to the Cracklaw Point, where he would indulge his love for hunting in the relative lawlessness of the Point's forests despite the Point belonging to House Hoare.

The servants had spared no effort in making her chambers as comfy as possible for the newly-weds, with a pitcher of Arbor gold, refreshments, a roaring fire, and clean red and black sheets mixed with blue. There was also a small light-green flask and two tiny cups set upon the small table next to the hearth, mostly likely prepared by the Yi-Tish men that came with Jaenyx. Visenya fought to urge to sigh when she saw flower petals all over the bed, undoubtedly put there by Rhaenys in order to add to the supposed magic of a romantic night. _She can be quite grating sometimes, but it is Rhae. _

Visenya turned around to see Jaenyx, now her husband. She got to know him better over the last four days, spending what time she had with him in the training yard and in the castle's library. With the sword, he had the perfect balance of strength, speed, and agility, his lean body allowing him to move faster than most men his age while hiding the power held within his form of solid muscle. What's more, he never said a word while wielding a sword, instead giving her and Aegon a cold, piercing gaze as he fought them dispassionately. Although he did well with the practice swords, nothing could compare when he would bring the bokkens, or Yi-Tish wooden swords, to the yard. When he wielded them, his speed, strength, and agility were enhanced and some of the training swords snapped under the pressure given by Jaenyx's momentum. Visenya held the bokken, immediately seeing its slenderness and feeling its lightness, easier for her to handle and requiring less strength than she needed with a longsword. She wondered if she could get a set similar to Jaenyx's Yi-Tish swords, called a katana and wakizashi, to use alongside Dark Sister.

Visenya and Jaenyx talked much in the library, although the extent of his understanding of the common tongue did not include reading. She read with him and translated many of the books that she grew up reading, such as the histories and legends related to Westeros' Age of Heroes and the rituals rooted in Valyria's blood magic. Jaenyx stopped her many times when they read about the rituals, saying that most of what the books said was either inaccurate or an exaggeration. Along with her enjoying the long conversations they held in the library, she became more comfortable speaking High Valyrian, but she could not undo the many years she spent speaking the common tongue as her mother tongue, along with the ways of thinking that could not be understood by one speaking High Valyrian. _I'll have to teach him the common tongue, or I might lose him when I say certain words that can't be explained by High Valyrian_.

On the topic of tongues, Jaenyx could speak two Yi-Tish tongues besides High Valyrian: nihongo and goryeomal. He learned them both from his Yi-Tish teacher, whose name Visenya learned was Konno Haru, although he had to learn goryeomal by himself since Haru did not speak it well. Nihongo sounded strong at times and there was more emphasis on certain words than others, while goryeomal had more consistent sounds and had a smoother flow than nihongo. Although she felt strong emotions from both, she felt more melancholic emotions from hearing Jaenyx speak goryeomal, which he said was reflective of the sad and violent history from whence it came between the two larger lands of Yi-Ti. She had only heard about Yi-Ti in passing, with her meeting Haru and he and Jaenyx speaking those Yi-Ti tongues being the first real experiences she had with Yi-Tish ways and people. Hearing his stories about his travels in Yi-Ti, which he visited only once when Haru gifted him his swords, added to her fascination of a land she hoped to see one day.

Most women would feel a sense of achievement upon marrying a man whose physical strength matched that of his familiarity with the world, which Visenya also felt to a degree. However, besides knowing that Jaenyx understood struggle and had more maturity than most men his age, Visenya noticed that he never boasted or say he was better than everyone because of what he had and knew. First assuming that his sufferings quieted the ostentatiousness that was so annoyingly common in young men, she learned that Haru strongly imparted onto Jaenyx the virtues of the Yi-Tish warrior, which included strict adherence to courage, politeness, benevolence, and humility. Whenever he was about to stray, Jaenyx said that "Sensei Haru" would have him go on all four limbs while he struck his buttocks, back, legs, and feet with a wooden staff. Jaenys said that sometimes, Haru struck so hard that lacerations sometimes appeared on where the wooden staff made contact with his skin.

Visenya was quite confused as to why Jaenyx would allow himself to be so brutalized by Haru, especially since it started when he was a boy of six. Jaenyx confessed that he wanted to kill Haru at the very first chance whenever he finished beating him, coming up with many ways of how he would do it whenever Haru hit him. However, he said that Haru never took pleasure when he did so and only struck him because he believed that the world would not be so merciful should he go down a wrong path. Jaenyx remembered one time when Haru actually explained why he was hitting him: "With every strike, every cut, every bruise that forms on your skin, remember what happens when you allow yourself to be led adrift in the world's darkness. There is darkness all over and the demons will leap at their chance to consume you alive." _This Haru seems to have reasonable intentions, but as hard as I am, I would never bash my children like that_.

And here was Jaenyx standing right in front of her, his blue-green and black tunic and black trousers hiding a form she longed to dig into, a form that she would allow entry into herself.

"_Quite a day, right_?" Jaenyx began to break the silence between them in her chambers.

"Kessa," Visenya answered to allow them both to ease into what would happen soon.

Jaenyx reached for the green flask and poured its contents into the small cups nearby. Grabbing both, he handed one to Visenya. "_Drink, wife?_"

Visenya gave a small smile as she took the cup, happy that Jaenyx was going to do his part in making their wedding night a night to remember but somewhat frustrated that he was using drink to numb his senses before the plunge.

"_What is this_?" Visenya eyed the clear liquid in the cup.

"_This is called arakju, from the Yi-Ti land where goryeomal is spoken. It is one drink out of many varieties in Yi-Ti and they drink this since it takes a less amount than wine to loosen your senses._"

Visenya nodded her head, curious as to what this drink could do. "_I see._"

Jaenyx held out his cup. "Gunbae." Visenya raised her eyebrow. "_It is essentially you raising your cups when someone else does it_."

Visenya clinked her cup with Jaenyx's. "Gunbae," she managed before they both poured their contents down their throats. Immediately, Visenya felt a burn in her insides and coughed, with Jaenyx chuckling in amusement. "_That is some strong stuff, husband. What is in that?_"

"_They brew it from rice, which is a long process before the arakju. It is all the rage back in Yi-Ti, as many would rather drink a small cup of that rather than large cups of wine or ale to loosen themselves._"

Visenya was not bothered by the burning feeling in her insides, probably her dragonblood making her more welcome to heat than others. However, she felt a little tingle in her hands, which would not happen until after a few cups of ale. And she could handle her drink better than most men could. _Maybe I should drink this more often with him_.

However, while she would have liked to continue their conversation and enjoy a few drinks, Visenya was not going to let her night be further delayed. She grabbed both of their cups and set them back on the small table. Turning around, she walked slowly towards her husband, eyes focused on his own while everything slowed down for the both of them. Cupping his cheek, she tiptoed up to his face and melded her lips on his in a deep kiss. Like the kiss they had after exchanging their vows, the kiss they had in their chambers was exhilarating, warming her wonderfully. Their tongues engaging in a fierce battle for dominance, she pulled him closer and ran her hands all over his back. She felt her husband put his arms pull her closer to him, his hands feeling all over her backside while she felt his hands squeeze her ass.

Letting a moan, Visenya pulled from the kiss, staring at Jaenyx with a desire that burned brighter than when he first used his dragonhorn. She reached for his tunic, pulling it off over his head and exposing his bare torso to her. Seeing his toned midsection and strong chests, she was shocked to see him so riddled with scars. She recognized the cuts from the swords and holes where arrows pierced his skin, but the scars that got her attention were larger and made his skin look like ripped parchment.

Seeing her eyes widen, Jaenyx straightened up. "_I was infected with the red death while I was in the Basilisk Isles. One of the symptoms was turning the skin as thin as parchment, making it easier to rip whenever one tried to grab it. My father died from the red death and I would have died too if it weren't for my mother_."

Visenya knew that his mother was a sore subject for him. "_You don't have to talk about her if you want, Jaenyx_."

"_Daor_," Jaenyx responded. "_You are my wife, so you should know._" He kept his gaze on her. "_Every Valyrian ritual requires a blood sacrifice, for it is said that 'only death can pay for life'. So she entered the flames and turned into ashes, but I was immediately healed. I see her smile in my dreams, the woman who gave birth to me, the woman who sang me to sleep whenever the bats came by, the woman who made living in the jungle easier for a child like me... no longer here. Everytime I think of her, it is… you are fortunate to still have your mother, because I feel that my heart was ripped out when she walked into the flames. And I just ask myself everyday why am I alive. No matter how many people answer that question, it is… hard cannot describe the pain that I carry everyday_."

Visenya listened closely, seeing the hard exterior of Jaenyx cracking. "_You may think I'm strong, Visenya, and in some ways I became that because of what happened in my life. However, I am fucked up and the memories of my family leaving before their time will always be with me no matter how far I go or how much time will pass. In more simple terms, I am damaged goods and I don't think anything or anyone can change that._"

Visenya continued to listen, but she felt her intense gaze softening. "_We may be married, but I now you told some of the most important things about myself. If you want to continue to do what you were about to do just now, do it._"

Visenya knew that the scars on Jaenyx's body and his moment of vulnerability would repulse any other woman, as they would not want to be with a man with so much external and internal damage. However, she was not most women. If anything, seeing his scars and seeing him take a chance with her, admitting his true self and offering her a choice before they proceeded, made her want him more. She did not admit this to anyone, but she was also damaged. She may have looked strong and her skill with the sword may have scared many men from approaching her, but she could not deny the loneliness and anger at people treating her bad because she was different. She loved Aegon, Rhaenys, and Orys, but they could not fully understand how she felt because they were mostly accepted their entire lives. And now, she finally found someone who understood what it was to be damaged, and it was her husband.

Visenya pulled him into another deep kiss, running her hands all over him and feeling his hands doing the same. Pulling away, she turned around and offered him her back. "_Help me, husband?_"

Visenya felt Jaenyx untie the laces in the back of her gown. He was rather quick about it, but still kept gentle. She felt his kiss on her neck and along her back as more of it was exposed to him. With a strong yank on her dress, she was suddenly bare to the world as her gown pooled down to the floor around her feet. She always had a good opinion of her body, if the words of her father, mother, and Rhaenys were anything to go on. But to see the storm of lust in Jaenyx's eyes as he gazed up and down her body filled her with glee. Looking back at him with a look of equal intensity, she unfastened his breeches and shoved them down, her breath hitching at his now nude self.

Visenya pushed him onto the bed, the flower petals spreading out as she straddled his hips and pinned him down. She leaned down to kiss him while she guided his cock to her entrance, moaning in his mouth as she felt him go deeper inside her. She felt Jaenyx's breath hitch and she leaned back up and further impaled herself on him. Her eyes were closed tightly and she bit her lip, as ecstasy flowed through her and her husband.

Wanting more, Visenya took Jaenyx's hands and put them over her breasts, happily exhaling as she felt his hands squeeze them and seeing his eyes nearly roll in pleasure. The wet slaps of skin, heavy moans, and the creaking of the bed soon filled her chambers, newlyweds lost in each other's bodies. What felt like hours had passed and Visenya could feel herself approaching the brink. Before she went over it, she pulled Jaenyx up to her, hugging him tightly and wanting to take him with her.

Then, Visenya felt Jaenyx gush inside her with a sharp inhale, pleasure spreading throughout her body before collapsing onto him, her silver hair spread all over his chest. Pecking his neck and lips, she slid off him before snuggling against him on his right side. She smiled when Jaenyx kissed her forehead and wrapped his arms wrapped around her tightly, hearing his sigh of happiness. Minutes passed before she had the strength to lean up to look at him.

Visenya saw Jaenyx smiling, but she also saw tears forming from his eyes. "_What is the matter, Jaenyx_?"

Jaenyx looked to her, his smile still on his face. "_That was probably the most love I got in years and I am only remembering the last time that happened. I only wish my mother was here_."

Visenya put her head on his chest. "_She is here, Jaenyx. She's always here. And I am sure she's happy you have found love_."

"_Is that what it is between us, Visenya?_"

Visenya nodded. "_Kessa, and I know you said that you're damaged goods, but so am I. Let's be strong together, Jae_."

Visenya saw his smile grew smaller before it returned. "_Jae… can't remember the last time I heard that._" He pulled her closer to him. "_Yes, let's be strong together, Vis_."

Visenya liked the sound of her nickname on his lips. They remained that way in each other's arms as they fell into a deep sleep, their first as man and wife.

**Wow, that was quite challenging to write. As with everything in this story (first fight, first wedding), this is the first time that I wrote an intimate scene, so please bear with me if it seems... lackluster if lacking a better term. However, I will improve on everything as the story goes on. **

**Here, we see Jaenyx being vulnerable to Visenya, quite a leap for him even if he got closer to Visenya in the days before the ceremony. But instead of being repulsed, she loves him more since she is also damaged like him. I see Jaenyx and Visenya being misfits and it's only fitting that the misfits end up together. So hopefully, this is adequate enough to show how deeper their relationship is going as well as how their first night turned out. **

**On the topic of THE KING, really recommend you watch it. Also, I have this image in my head of Lord Targaryen being this kind version of Sean Harris (great actor), where he knows what's right but knows no bounds in getting what he wants. He will play a more important role in the conquest than in canon (none since he was dead at the time) and we will see him clash with Aegon, Jaenyx, and the others. **

**Next time, we skip forward in time to see the first stages of the conquest. Stay tuned! **


	9. Aegon III

**Sorry for the delay, but I had to really take my time with this since I promised to get Aegon's Conquest started and I wanted to do so on the right foot. As we're now entering the important parts of the story, I will need more time to write out my chapters. Probably will update at least twice a week instead of every day. What do you think?**

**Read all of your recent reviews and really appreciate the feedback. To answer some issues:**

**-ImGoingForAWalk: I understand your concerns about Jaenyx using Yi-Tish weaponry and combat principles and I like that you also enjoyed THE KING. But I disagree since you can still maintain your cultural integrity while infusing aspects of other cultures into your identity. However, him using Yi-Tish weaponry and combat principles will be part of his character development since he's going to find out that his previous way of training will not work for Westeros. Just like the Targaryens learning something from Jaenyx, he will also learn something from them. **

**-Izaya Orihara 101101: Thank you for reading my story and I appreciate your patience in how Jaenyx's character develops. Don't worry, he will be more fleshed out as a character as the story progresses, so stick around.**

**Without further ado, here is the next chapter and the start of the Conquest Arc. **

AEGON III

Aegon struck his sword hard against the shield held by Quenton Qoherys, attempting a downward slice onto his left shoulder before Qoherys got his shield up in time. He used both hands to hold the sword, allowing him greater momentum than he would get with a one-hand grip. The master-at-arms of Dragonstone held his shield true against his strikes and attempted to reach for him with a stab before Aegon regained his footing, but Aegon side-stepped before the sword struck his torso. Circling his master-at-arms for a moment, Aegon feinted to the right before he swung to the right at the side of Qoherys' shield with both hands on his sword, not too far to touch the torso but enough to get the shield away. Qoherys had kept his grip on the shield tight, but Aegon did not need for him to lose his grip. Acting quickly, he dropped his sword and grappled Qoherys, using his larger frame against him by charging at his waist, pulling him up at his knees, and sending him on his back. He used his forearms to pin his larger opponent to the ground, pressing both against his shoulders, while angling his hands to press below his throat. Keeping his feet dug on the group, he tightened his hold.

"Yield," Aegon looked at Qoherys in the eyes. Qoherys conceded defeat before Aegon got off him and helped him off the group. Qoherys dusted himself giving his student a smile.

"Now you are using everything you have, Lord Aegon. Besides the sword, your body is a very effective tool in subduing your enemy and there are many ways you could kill with your hands." Quenton pointed to his forehead, neck, and ribs. "You could pound against the skull, but that'll take a lot of force to make a small crack. Skulls are among the strongest parts of the body, so your best hope of killing a man would the neck and the areas around the ribs. With the neck, it just takes one strong punch to crush the throat or break the neck. Also, the ribs protect the vital areas of the body, including the heart and lungs. Easy to break the ribs, meaning that one bone fragment flowing in the blood would be fatal."

Aegon stared at him, impressed. "You seem to know a lot about a man's weak points, Quenton."

"I would be a shit master-at-arms if I didn't. Your weapons are not just those you could hold with your hands. A good warrior uses everything at his disposal, everything from his hands to even a rock. A lot of damage could be done when you hit a steel helm with a rock in the right places, although it will not be pretty."

As they were talking about the many ways to fight, Aegon had to ask. "Quenton, what do you think about how my good-brother fights?"

"Jaenyx?" Quenton saw most of the practice sessions between Aegon, Jaenyx, Visenya, and Orys. "Well, his speed and agility surpasses even Visenya's and he knows how to keep cool in a fight. Those Yi-Tish swords may not have a lot of reach compared to a longsword, but their speed when swung complements Jaenyx's. He also seems well-versed in unarmed combat, if his kicks are any indication."

Aegon remembered the last time they practiced without swords. Jaenyx would strike him in quick succession, his right and left arms and legs striking his sides as Aegon tried in vain to block all of them. His kicks while jumping in the air or when sweeping him off-balance were particularly nasty, the power behind them akin to when horses kick. The way he used his legs and jumped reminded Aegon more like how monkeys moved: too fast and very annoying after a while.

"But?" Aegon could tell Quenton had more to say.

"Jaenyx's style of fighting might work against unarmored opponents and it certainly made him more flexible and robust than most men his age, even you, Aegon." Aegon snorted, admitting that he could never be as fast as his good-brother. "However, if he fought against knights in full plate armor and used his swords in combat, he will have a hard time."

"How so?"

"Well, one thing you and Orys have over Jaenyx is brawn. You practiced powerful strikes with your sword and hands for most of your training, which your body adjusted to and made you very capable in matches of strength. Also, you and Orys have strong punches, which are certainly more useful in a fight than kicking. As pretty as Jaenyx's swords are, they're mostly good at slashing and would not do well against steel plate armor. Jaenyx could probably last very long in battle due to his body being used to strenuous activity, but you and Orys are more accustomed to the knightly ways of fighting. Therefore, you know where to strike against plate armor and how to take full advantage of your sword's long reach. Strength is at the core of a knight's fighting style, which you would need in Westeros. To be honest, I would not like my chances if I had learned how to fight in a fashion similar to your good-brother should I go up against the warriors throughout Westeros."

Aegon took this all in. Jaenyx could use his hands well enough and had a decent punch, but he used his kicks more often. In the training yard, that worked because none of them had full armor on. But Quenton's take on his style made Aegon reevaluate it.

"Couldn't the same be said Visenya? Like Jaenyx, she's also fast and agile in fighting."

Quenton shook his head. "That is true, but your sister grew up accustomed to the fighting ways of Westeros. She may not have the body that is sufficient enough for her to last in a match of strength, but she closely observed how knights and those of Westeros combat each other. She then compensated by exploiting the weak areas of a man and moving faster. So her way of fighting would work well within the confines of Westerosi combating. The same cannot be said for Jaenyx."

Aegon nodded. "I see." He also wondered how Jaenyx might fare if he merely kicked his through enemies.

"One other thing I will say in favor of Jaenyx is that he was strength of mind. However he trained made him less likely to crack under pressure, which is what every warrior needs in battle. Maybe if he became more accustomed to the fighting ways of Westeros, he would do well."

"I see. Thanks, Quenton." Aegon put down his sword and left the training yard, his session done for the day.

Walking back to the castle, Aegon moved through the halls to conduct the lordly affairs that would one day be his full responsibility. As of now, he helped their lord father sift through the many pieces of parchment that had to read and signed. He was eight and ten and his father decided to entrust him with the responsibility of working with his cousin Daemon Velaryon in directing the increased ship traffic through the Blackwater Bay, much of which came because of what Dragonstone had recently become.

One year had gone by since Jaenyx came on Cloudwynd and his people. Within a week of arriving, he had married Visenya and helped unite the last two dragonlord families into one. Two weeks after that, Aegon had married Rhaenys, in a much grander fashion than his good-brother's. Although they both agreed to marry in Valyrian fashion after witnessing what had occurred at Visenya and Jaenyx's wedding, Rhaenys wanted their wedding to be a splendid affair and had asked Taygor to tone down his wedding proceedings as to avoid discomfort among their more numerous guests. As expected, Taygor refused but only relented when Jaenyx asked him to do so as a favor to Rhaenys. About one hundred guests were present at the wedding between their sister and their good-brother, while close to three hundred dined at the feast after Rhaenys and Aegon exchanged their vows.

Although they lived separately, they all still lived on Dragonstone and could see each other every day. Aegon could not help but smile at how inseparable Jaenyx and Visenya became in the days after their wedding, his sister finally finding a man who could understand her and who never tried to restrict who she was.

The Valyrian houses that came with Jaenyx all lived up to their reputation, in particular the Rahitheons. Aevon Rahitheon, head of his house, turned the lands of Dragonstone they settled on into fields that yielded more than enough to feed Dragonstone's population. One of the challenges that faced Dragonstone and made it necessary for them to import food from the lords throughout the Blackwater Bay lay in the island's hilly and uneven terrain, particularly the areas right next to the Dragonmont, which made it difficult to plow fields in a similar fashion to farms on flat ground. However, Aevon Rahitheon said that the volcanic ash of the island made the soil incredibly fertile and all they needed was to adapt to the lack of flat grounds accordingly.

What Aegon saw next marveled him in its simplicity. Instead of making the grounds of Dragonstone flatter for plowing, Aevon had his people dig into the hilly and uneven terrain and cut them into a series of succeeding platforms that resembled stairs. Each platform was called a lynchet, and Aegon learned that farming on lynchets was quite common back during the Freehold since the Fourteen Flames precluded farming on flat ground and thus making it necessary for early Valyria to compensate for their initial geographical limitations.

Although a sight to behold, a major obstacle had to overcome before the new lynchets could yield a harvest. Dragonstone had no sufficient source of drinking water that could be used to grow their crops and they were surrounded by the sea. However, Aegon saw the Rahitheons put their partial ancestry from Rhoynish water wizards to use in solving their water problem. Flooding the fields with seawater, the ritual they used involved a song, where they would offer their voice to the seawater in return for an amount of it becoming drinkable. After that, the water had become drinkable and allowed for them to plant their first crops on Dragonstone. But like all magic, water magic came at a price. Lacking the pure blood carried by the Rhoynish princes and princesses of old and away from the waters of the Rhoyne, the rituals would leave Aevor and his brood without their voices for at least a week. Fortunately, they recovered just soon enough to do the rituals again and being making the most out of the remaining years of summer.

Although unable to talk, Aevor Rahitheon was able to construct his first forge to making his first batch of Valyrian steel since they left the Basilisk Isles. Aegon knew that dragonfire was required to make Valyrian steel, which their dragons provided. However, what he did not know was that a drop of dragonblood, some of which were sealed in a vial by the Rahitheons, was also needed before the metal got into the mold. Taygor Leniar admitted that he did not know the full properties of dragon's blood since they could use one drop only once and there were too few amounts of it to fully explore what dragon's blood could do. However, it was undeniable that a drop of their blood into Valyrian steel contained the essence of fire magic, which was then passed into the steel once the drop mixed into the molten metal. That, and dragonflame, both of which they now held exclusively.

Dragonstone's first batch of fourteen Valyrian steel swords were completed within two weeks, with two being sold in Oldtown for an enormous sum and another two getting similar results in Pentos. Soon, people of high repute made their way to Dragonstone to purchase a Valyrian steel tool, but they had to turn away some potential patrons since they could not realistically hope to meet every demand. Still, the returns made from the Valyrian steel forging enriched Dragonstone, with a portion going towards the House Targaryen for their hosting of the forges.

One year passed by in which Dragonstone became a center for Valyrian steel forging and became self-sufficient in its agricultural needs. Traffic increased in the Blackwater Bay, making the island's position even more important. Commissions for new Valyrian steel swords, including one from the King of the Rock himself, filled the rookery alongside the usual business of Dragonstone's lords. Aegon's Velaryon cousins appeared more often around Dragonstone's waters in their ships to protect the island from unwelcome visitors, working alongside the ships provided by Jaenyx.

Besides seeing House Rahitheon work their wonders and House Leniar breathing new life to Dragonstone with their knowledge of blood healing, Aegon got glimpses of the martial prowess of House Tarareon, led by their head Ragaemor Tarareon. They did not have the horses that they built their reputation on, but Aegon was astonished by their skill with the bow, pike, and javelin. A good archer could expect to shoot ten to twelve arrows at every interval, while the Tarareons could pull off twenty at least. With increased speed came with decreased accuracy, but their point was not to shoot to kill at a distance. With their horses, they would ride close to the enemy line and inflict as much damage as possible while provoking enemy cavalry and infantry to give chase. The chase would last for several days, long enough for the enemy to exhaust themselves before the Tarareon cavalry would turn around and attack while their spear infantry would charge from hidden positions on the sides. This tactic was how the Tarareons held back the Rhoynar in their many wars against Valyria, as the Tarareons would draw out the numerically-superior Rhoynish armies from their positions and destroy their formations on more favorable ground. This strategy denied the Rhoynar the strategic initiative, delaying them long enough for Valyria to assemble their dragons and bring enough reinforcements to push the enemy back and eventually subjugate them. Aegon had learned from his studies with Quenton that executing a successful defensive strategy was far more difficult than those related to the offensive, and the Tarareons had perfected their abilities in mobile defense over centuries. _Wonder how they might fare against knights charging at them in plate armor_?

All in all, a good year had passed for Dragonstone. They no longer had to worry about food, they were becoming wealthier with the coin made from selling Valyrian steel, and they were no longer uneasy by how many antagonistic houses surrounded them throughout the Blackwater Bay.

Aegon arrived at his father's door and knocked. "Come in!" he heard a heartily shout. _I've been hearing more of that as of late_.

Entering the solar and looking upon their father, Aegon remained astonished at the changes the Lord of Dragonstone underwent over the last five years. Before Jaenyx came, their father had been in poor health and Maester Harrion predicted before returning to the Citadel that he would not live to see fifty name days due to an affliction affecting his heart from the abnormal rate he felt on their father's neck. Now, here he was looking more lively than ever and in better health. Aegon suspected the rings that Jaenyx gave to their father had a part to play in restoring his health, but then wished he never asked. Jaenyx explained that his grandfather, Baesellar Belaerys of the Basilisk Isles, was too afraid of death and had coerced Taygor's grandfather to perform a blood ritual to extend his life. He then bled out Jaenyx's grandmother on her deathbed and used her blood and two drops of Cloudwynd's blood to coat the rubies on his rings, with the lifeblood of both his grandmother and Cloudwynd keeping him alive. He then lived out the rest of his wretched life, regretting his actions too late and forever damaging his relationship with his son, Jaenyx's father, before it all became too much for him and took off his rings. Aegon's first instinct was to take the rings off their father, not wanting him to live on such cursed trinkets. However, Jaenyx reassured him that unlike with his grandfather Baesellar, the full effects of the blood magic within the rings were reduced when someone not carrying Belaerys blood wore them. Thus, their father's life was not as tied to the rings as his grandfather. As Lord Targaryen had dragonblood within him, the rings' blood magic remained somewhat and allowed him to restore his health.

"Ah, Egg, glad you could make it," their father smiled. "We have much to do today."

"Of course, father." Aegon sat down across, looking through pieces of parchment.

"First order of business," their father became serious. "Report from Daemon's patrol in the waters near the Cracklaw Point. He says that there is increased activity of Ironborn there, but is confident that the Celtigars can keep them in check for now."

"Should we get cousin Daemon to send more ships to that area?"

"No, we cannot leave any of the waters bereft of one Velaryon vessel. We could have Maerys Tarareon use her ships to reinforce the northern waters if need be. They may not be built for war, but they could prevent the Ironborn from getting audacious on numbers alone."

Aegon nodded, but was concerned about involving Maerys Tarareon in any sea activity alongside Daemon. The sister of Ragaemor Tarareon, she was more foul-mouthed than Daemon and even more uncompromising as a sea captain. Anyone in her crews that got out of line were beaten senselessly, stripped, and left hanging on her ship's masts for days. Daemon may have had his moments where he needed to instill discipline among his crews, but never to that degree. Aegon suspected that sailing across thousands of miles of sea without a strong possibility of reaching their destination warranted a personality that did not countenance failure of any kind. Maerys and Daemon frequently clashed over their methods at sea, so Jaenyx and Aegon resolved to keep them as far apart as possible.

"What of news from the rest of the Blackwater Bay?" Aegon asked.

"From what I can read, same old news. The usual unrest from Black Harren's vanity project from the Rosbys, Darklyns, and other lords. Been thirty-one years since he went off on building that castle, 'the biggest fortress Westeros will ever see' as he boasted. Hopefully, he doesn't break enough backs and put more in chains lest he dine alone in that massive hall he's about to complete."

Everyone in Westeros were very aware of the notoriety of Harren Hoare, otherwise known as Harren the Black. An Ironborn, his ancestors had seized the Riverlands from Storm King Arrec Durrandon and large-scale skirmishes between the Stormlanders and Ironborn were an everyday occurrence for those living in the Blackwater Bay. Upon becoming King of the Isles and the Rivers, Harren set about building a fortress that he boasted would be the biggest Westeros has ever seen, with a great hall to have thirty-five hearths. No one was very surprised at the amount of unrest in the Riverlands, as Harren the Black drained the region of its people and resources for his castle. Having that castle, which Harren would name Harrenhal, was his obsession for over thirty years and he was far from completed.

"What of news from King Argilac?"

Their father shrugged as he looked through more parchment. "Nothing that is new. He has one healthy child to his name, but no one in the Stormlands would follow a woman as a ruler. Pity, I hear that Princess Argella is as fierce as she is beautiful, just like her father in his better days. As expected, his hold on his kingdom is slipping."

Aegon sighed. _The strength of a ruler came from the strengths that a ruler brings to the table, not on whether he is a man or woman. So tiring_. He could never imagine putting Rhaenys to the sidelines when he became Lord of Dragonstone and he saw how Jaenyx included Visenya in all of his decisions. It made him wonder whether there will be a time when one's capabilities determined their fitness to rule rather than their sex.

Aegon looked through more of the parchment. There were bills of sales from each new Valyrian steel sword, shipments of produce coming to and from the island, minor disputes between Dragonstone's original and new residents, and other duties that helped ensure Dragonstone was successfully administered. _If only Orys was here to help_.

Aegon's brother Orys was currently in Claw Isle to assist the Celtigars on a minor issue and he was expected to return before the day was out. Orys was not as taken to lordly duties like Aegon, preferring to train with the Valyrian steel axe gifted to him by Jaenyx and chase women. Aegon was surprised that he didn't father any bastards like their father with Orys given how many women he pursued. While Aegon and Orys were seen as the brawn in the family, Aegon inherited some of their father's intelligence while Orys inherited the philanderer tendencies that so afflicted their father in his younger days.

They heard a knock. "Come in," their father called out.

"Milord," the servant ran up to their table, with a nervous look on his face. "Something has happened."

"What is it?" Their father gave his full attention upon seeing the urgency in the servant's face.

"A ship is nearing Dragonstone's docks, with the banners belonging to House Hoare."

Aegon and their father stood up, shock evident. "We better get to the docks quickly, father."

"I'll go first. Get Jaenyx, Vis, Rhae, and your mother down to the docks. We need to show a united front with whoever from House Hoare is coming."

"Of course," Aegon ran out the door. He knew that it was a cause for worry when an Ironborn came near someone's home, and they were coming here! He got their mother out of her chambers and Rhaenys out of theirs before running off to the keep where Jaenyx and Visenya lived. It was on the northwest corner of Dragonstone but fortunately not far from the castle.

Aegon ran as fast as he could and soon saw the keep. Unlike Dragonstone looking like a nest of dragons, their keep looked like two dragons fighting for dominance over a stone pole. Like the castle, their keep was made of black stones. It was previously used by their grandfather Lord Daemion Targaryen in his daily fishing and hunting excursions throughout the Blackwater Bay.

Aegon knocked frantically at the door. "Vis, Jae, open up! It's urgent!"

A servant, Lehna if Aegon remembered correctly, opened the door. "Lord Aegon. What brings you here?"

"Never mind that," Aegon did not have time for pleasantries now. "Where's my good-brother and sister?"

Before she could answer, they heard two dragon roars. Turning around and looking up, Aegon saw Vhagar and Cloudwynd descend from the sky. Landing near the keep, both dragons lowered themselves for their riders to slide down. Jaenyx and Visenya gave each other a deep kiss before they noticed Aegon in front of them.

"Egg! What are you doing here?" Visenya walked up to him before giving him a hug.

Aegon returned the hug. "Father said to get both of you to the docks. We have an Ironborn ship coming towards us, carrying the banners of House Hoare."

Visenya's eyes widened, as did Jaenyx's. He became familiar with the intricate politics of Westeros, especially with the reputation of Harren the Black. "_Why would an Ironborn come here_?" In the past year, Jaenyx learned how to speak the common tongue and could switch comfortably between High Valyrian and the common tongue, though he still preferred the former whenever talking with family and especially Visenya.

"That's what we're going to find out. Father wants to have all of us together as a show of strength, so let's hurry down there."

They all ran down to the town at the base of the Dragonmont, with the docks outstretched towards the sea. Their father called together fifty of their sworn swords while sending a message to Orys to return to Dragonstone with haste. Aegon and Visenya did not have time to get either Blackfyre, the greatsword Flame Screecher that Jaenyx gifted to him, or Dark Sister, but they felt confident in making do with their regular swords. Plus, they all knew how to fight with their bare hands and had dragons to help. The ironborn reavers will not know what hit them should they decide to attack them.

They all saw an ironborn longship get closer to the docks, the banner of House Hoare flying high in the sky. There was only one ship, which was unusual since ironborn reaver moved in packs like wolves. Aegon counted about sixty men aboard, all armed with axes and some carrying bows. Dragonstone's own archers readied to shoot, with their bows drawn. As the ship came closer, Aegon could see one man badly beaten and another tied up. The beaten man looked like one of their own, his silver hair ruffled up and one of his purple eyes swollen from what was obviously a blunt strike to his head. _What in the hells is going on here?_

The ship docked, the crew throwing out their ropes to tie their ship with, while a small group led by a tall, imposing man escorted the badly-injured Valyrian and their prisoner. Aegon looked at the man leading them. Axes hanging off his sides, he had trimmed black hair, a dark beard, and blue eyes while wearing a leather breastplate and a loose black cloak. But there was something about his eyes that made Aegon more uneasy. Unlike other ironborn reaver who were all too eager to move upon their prey, he scanned his surroundings to figure how best to take them down. This man was acting too… patiently. _Who is this?_

The man outstretched his arms away from his axes to signal his peaceful intentions. "Which one of you is the Lord of Dragonstone?" the man asked, offering a small smile to put them at rest, which didn't.

"That will be me," their father stepped forward as he stood straight. "I am Aerion Targaryen, Lord of Dragonstone. And you are?"

"Oh yes. How rude of me," the man put his hands down but made sure to have them off his axes. "I am Darvin Hoare, third son of King Harren Hoare and Prince of the Isles and Rivers. I must apologize, my lord, of my unexpected arrival at your home, but there is an urgent matter that must be resolved before… there are serious misunderstandings between our people."

Their father narrowed his eyes. "What sort of misunderstandings are we referring to?"

Darvin Hoare gestured for his men to bring forward the Valyrian man and the bound ironborn. "Is this one of your men, my lord?" he pointed to the Valyrian.

Aegon turned to see Jaenyx's eyes darken. "_Vaeron_?" The Valyrian nodded, but grimaced in pain while he did.

"You know him?" their father asked.

"_Vaeron Rahitheon. He's one of Aevon's nephews. He was supposed to deliver a few Valyrian steel swords to be sold on the market at Lannisport, but the buyers said that he never showed up and he was gone for weeks. Now I know why_." He turned to look at Darvin Hoare straight in the eyes, his piercing gaze staring back at Hoare's predatory one. "Did you people rob him and kidnap him? Is that why he looks like that?" he spat accusingly while his common tongue had a distinct Valyrian lilt.

"And who are you?" Darvin Hoare looked incredulously at Jaenyx.

Aegon fought the urge to decapitate him for addressing his good-brother with disrespect. However, their father spoke first. "This is my good-son, Lord Jaenyx Belaerys of the Basilisk Isles, and the liege lord of the man your people assaulted. You will address him with respect."

Darvin Hoare took another look at Jaenyx. "My apologies, Lord Belaerys. I meant no disrespect." Jaenyx was unconvinced of his sincerity, as was Aegon, Visenya, Rhaenys, and their father and mother. "And as you are his liege lord, I must extend my apologies for what my men did to yours. It is one of the reasons I have come to your shores this day."

"What do you mean?" their father queried.

"My man, the one who is tied up," Darvin Hoare tugged on the ropes binding the man. "He committed an unprovoked attack on yours, and such actions can lead to open conflict between our houses. To prevent that from happening, I offer you the satisfaction on what is to be done with him as well as return the items that he stole from yours." Hoare signalled for his men to bring the tied men forward as well as three Valyrian steel longswords wrapped in a bundle, which he gave to the Valyrian. "You can go now," he said to him, who walked over to his lords while Jaenyx embraced him before telling him to go back to his uncle. "Lord Belaerys, as it was your man that was wronged, what do you wish to be done with the perpetrator?"

Aegon watched as Jaenyx wordlessly walked over to the bound ironborn and pulled him towards the middle between the groups. He then saw Jaenyx draw his Yi-Tish sword, which prompted the other ironborn to grab for their axes, before he sliced through his neck. The head rolled down off the dock into the sea while the body stood there, as if not realizing that it was dead while blood oozed out of the severed vessels of the exposed neck. After a few seconds of annoying standing there, the body collapsed. Jaenyx pulled out a rag and wiped off the blood from his blade before sheathing it and walking back to his family.

Aegon blinked, not expecting Jaenyx's frigidity while taking a man's life, even if the man was an ironborn. Rhaenys also looked surprised while Visenya continued to stare at Hoare, as if expecting nothing less to be done by her husband. Darvin did not hide his own shock, as Jaenyx's actions happened much too quickly for him to process them.

"That's a nice blade you got there, Lord Belaerys," Hoare recovered from his shock. "Where did you get it?"

"That's not really your concern, Prince Hoare," Jaenyx answered. "You offered satisfaction for what your man did and I now have it. But that is not really the only reason why you're here, yes?"

Hoare kept his small smile on his face. "I admit that I have wanted to come here for some months, but considering my father's reputation, I believed that I would not have gotten a favorable reception. I thought that offering you justice was a good way to ease your worries so that we could discuss some business."

Their father spoke up. "Does your father know you're here, Prince Darvin?"

"I am here of my own accord, Lord Targaryen. The men that came with me are loyal, which is why I brought them here."

Their father crossed his arms. "And why should I treat with you, Prince Darvin? Considering that it was your man who assaulted one of my good-son's men, I have half a mind to simply tell you to turn around and never come back, as you clearly cannot control everyone under your command."

Hoare's smile disappeared at their father's biting remark, but kept calm. "I believe that what I have to offer you, Lord Targaryen, would be of great benefit to both your family and myself. Although, I would prefer if we discussed in more detail in your solar."

Their father contemplated the situation, before nodding. "All right. You can say your piece, but with all of my family present. You leave your men here at the dock. Should you or your men try anything, we will have no qualms about killing you and sending your head back to your father while feeding what's left to our dragons, war be damned. Do you understand, Prince Darvin?"

Hoare nodded. "Fair enough. Most in the Blackwater Bay have seen your dragons and although I am unsure of their capabilities, I am not stupid enough to harm you or your kin in your home."

Aegon and the others followed their father through the hallways of Dragonstone, with Jaenyx, Visenya, and Quenton behind Hoare. Looking back at Prince Darvin, he knew that the prince was looking through the hallways and the castle like a shadowcat hunting its prey. He was too silent, too calm compared to other ironborn that he came across. Not only that, there was something about Prince Darvin that felt wrong to Aegon and he was pretty sure that his father and the others sensed it. There was a… slipperiness that was exuding from his being, which Aegon made out from how easily he gave up his man. An ironborn would never be punished for stealing, no less offer one wronged by a reaver satisfaction. _What is he up to?_

Reaching the solar, their father and mother sat at the center of one side of the table, with Aegon and Rhaenys sitting at their father's right, while Jaenyx and Visenya sat on the left. Prince Darvin sat on the other side, alone.

"All right, Prince Darvin. What do you want to discuss?" their father did not try to hide his impatience in having the ironborn prince leave the castle soon.

"I understand that Dragonstone has became a center of Valyrian steel production. Word travels fast around Westeros, ever since your people put those on the market in Oldtown."

"And what is your interest in all of this, Prince Darvin?" Jaenyx asked, also impatient.

"Well, I don't know how you forge Valyrian steel and nor am I interested. But, as your family now controls the only place that can produce it, I believe that we can come to an understanding regarding future production."

"And what kind of understanding do you seek?" Aegon wanted the ironborn to get to his point.

"However you forge Valyrian steel, I can guess you need steel first and if you hope to expand your client base, you need more of it. And I can help you with that."

"Do you mean that you'll provide the iron ores needed to increase our steel capacity?" their father had already figured the direction of Prince Darvin's words.

"Precisely. I give you exclusive access to our iron ores, shipped directly from the Iron Islands, without anyone in the middle. You will have access to quality iron at very reasonable rates. In return—-"

"You get to line your pockets with a cut from all future sales of Valyrian steel weapons? Is that right?" Jaenyx also figured out his intentions.

Prince Darvin laughed nervously. "Well, you don't make it seem too flattering, but you will be able to increase your profits and forging capacities from this."

His patience extinguished, their father rubbed his face and groaned, not bothering to hide how unimpressed he was. Aegon and the others also felt that, but were more restrained about it. "If we needed to get more iron, we would have done the talking, not the other way around. Plus, more Valyrian steel swords leads to more unwanted attention, the attention that this family is receiving at this moment."

Prince Darvin did a double take. "My lord?" But he suppressed his surprise at his offer being spurned.

"We appreciate you offering my man justice for him being assaulted and kidnapped, but that does not hide the fact that you failed to stop that in the first place," Jaenyx spoke up. "Of course, from what I learned about your people, thievery and assault are unfortunately highly-regarded for sea rats."

They all saw Prince Darvin simmer. "I came in good faith and returned what was stolen, Lord Belaerys, and you repay me with insults?"

"You yourself stated that you wanted to speak to us for months, and you merely used my man's predicament as an excuse to come here. So, what good faith are we referring to?" Jaenyx retorted.

"In addition," their father stepped in. "Your offer does not hold a lot of weight since your father doesn't know about it. In other words, we cannot trust your word, 'in good faith.'"

"You best be careful, my lord," Prince Darvin pointed a finger at him. "You would not want a severe misunderstanding to result from this meeting."

"Are you threatening us, ironborn?" Visenya stood up, tempted to move across the table and start pounding on Hoare's head.

"ENOUGH!" their father slapped his hand on the table while also standing up. "We are earning enough coin from our current forging capacity and we have no reason to increase our profits. Also, you came here without first getting your father's blessing, meaning that there is no guarantee you'll keep your end of the bargain. However, you made an unwise decision to issue threats in our home!"

"I never said such—"

"You _implied_," their father emphasizing the last word. "That's enough of a threat. Therefore, there is nothing more to discuss between us. Guard!" Two sworn swords entered the solar. "Escort Prince Hoare back to his boat. We're done here."

Prince Darvin shook his head and scoffed. "You will regret this, Targaryen. I will show you why you never cross a Prince of House Hoare, no less an ironborn." The swords moved close to his sides. "I can get there myself, if you don't mind." He left the solar in a huff.

After Hoare left, their father turned to Aegon. "Get word to Daemon. Tell him to increase patrols in the north and west of the island." He turned to Jaenyx. "_Could you spare your man Tarareon and his sister in protecting both Driftmark and Claw Isle?" _

"_Of course, good-father_," Jaenyx nodded. "_I would not expect Hoare to let our rejection of his offer go unanswered_."

"Kirimvose," their father replied.

"You really expect Darvin Hoare to do something as rash as attacking us?" their mother asked, slightly worried.

"If there is anything to be said about ironborn in general, it is that they usually respond to slights with savagery. He may not have his father's backing right now, but he could be in command of more men and ships than he brought here. If he's anything like his father, he would bring harm to us because of what we did."

"Father, should we prepare the dragons?" Rhaenys asked. "They will be of great help in making Darvin Hoare think twice before attacking us."

"Most definitely, but we wouldn't want to show our hand yet," Visenya responded. "Everyone in Westeros believe our dragons to be rumors and there's power in keeping secret their capabilities until the right moment."

"Agreed," their father answered. "The continent only sees us possessing three thousand men and fewer than a hundred ships, half of which were not built for war. Let them continue to think that, as overconfidence breeds severe mistakes."

The door opened, with Orys coming in. Jaenyx just shook his hand, their relationship still tense, while everyone else hugged him. Everyone except their mother, who nodded at him.

"I saw the ironborn prince leave the docks as I arrived," Orys said. "I trust that he didn't get what he came for."

"Most definitely not," their father affirmed. "I smelled his desire from miles away. All the same, the lot of them."

"Shouldn't we put our people more on alert?" Orys inquired.

"Already done, brother," Aegon replied. "We will have cousin Daemon be more vigilant in the north and west while Jaenyx will provide his Tarareon men and female captain. Along with our dragons, we should be ready."

Orys nodded. "Good, good. We may need to hold off thousands of them, considering who the prince's father is."

"Hopefully, it won't come to that," their father spoke. "Black Harren will not do anything until his vanity project is completed, which is still a long time from now. More importantly, it is no secret that the riverlords loathe him, though that word is not sufficient enough to describe their feelings towards him. So he won't risk pulling his troops from the riverlands to support his unruly son lest he invite revolt at the first chance."

"Agreed," Orys responded.

They heard a knock at the door, with their father beckoning the servant to enter. "Milord, we have a message from Storm's End, specifically written by King Argilac himself."

Surprise filled the room. "A message? From the Arrogant king himself?" Everyone save the stormlords referred to him by that title, as they all knew of his decreasing grip on the reality of his situation. He still fashioned himself as a great warrior, a reputation well-earned from repelling the Dornish as a boy and killing King Garse Gardener at Summerfield, but conveniently ignored his increasingly loose skin and the numbers of gray hair replacing his black hair. More importantly, he failed to produce a male heir and nobody in Westeros would follow a woman as ruler. Aegon internally sighed at that last one. _If only Argella Durrandon was born a dragon, then she would never experience disdain for being a capable woman like Rhae and Vis._

Their father snatched the message before dismissing the servant. He read through it at least four times, dismay increasing each time, before passing the message to Aegon. "Read it out loud."

Aegon gazed at the message, slowly understanding why their father was so perturbed. "'To Lord Aerion Targaryen of Dragonstone, I have come across information from my agents in the riverlands that would no doubt distress you. Three weeks ago, two bannerman of Prince Darvin Hoare set upon and assaulted one of your men while transporting items to be sold at Lannisport. One was killed in the attempt while the other succeeded. I have reason to believe that Prince Darvin arranged for your man to be robbed and kidnapped in order to force discussion of future dealings between you, which could only mean that his father had knowledge of such an attack on your people. As I have battled against Black Harren for years now, it would seem we have common cause against the ironborn. Therefore, I propose an alliance to be made between Storm's End and Dragonstone, which would be sealed with the union between my maiden daughter Princess Argella and your son Lord Aegon Targaryen.'" He hesitated to read on after that offer while also catching Rhaenys' hitched breath. "'After we triumph against Black Harren, you shall have claim on all lands from south of the Blackwater Bay to the Bay of Crabs east of Saltpans. I beseech you to consider my offer, lest we both perish. Signed, Argillac of House Durrandon, First of His Name, Lord of Storm's End, Storm King.'"

Silence filled the solar, Argilac's offer hitting them colder than ice.

"How did he know that Jaenyx's man was assaulted?" Orys broke the silence.

"He revealed it in his letter, but that's not the important part. The timing between Prince Hoare's arrival today and Argilac's letter is just too much of a… coincidence." Aerion paced back and forth in thought.

"Do you mean to say that Darvin Hoare and Argilac the Arrogant are working together?" Aegon pondered.

"No, no. Argilac will never ally with an ironborn, and the same could be said with our ironborn prince. The circumstances seem too… fortuitous."

"Are you referring to the delay in Argilac informing us of what happened to Jae's man?" Visenya asked.

"That's what is bothersome about this. He had a rough idea on when the incident occurred, but chose to inform us now, after our ironborn prince came. Possibly, he's concluded that we're under threat from the ironborn and sees us as an ally."

"_Or_," Jaenyx stepped in. "_He might see us as weak because we seemingly let the ironborn attack our people with impunity and would see us as desperate for protection_."

"_That's very likely, Jaenyx. But how do we do approach this carefully?_"

"We cannot accept the Arrogant king's offer, as I have no need of a second wife and there is no reason to believe that his offer of lands is genuine," Aegon declared.

"Of course there is no reason," their father answered. "And I can smell a threat from miles away. Do you think that he's asking us to consider his offer nicely? He talked of our mutual destruction."

"You can't possibly mean that he'll attack us," Rhaenys contended.

"Hopefully not, Rhae. But he believes that we are weak because we couldn't protect on of our own from being assaulted."

"What do you suggest we do, father?" Aegon asked.

A servant burst in to solar, the second time they were so interrupted. But their father saw the worry on the servant's face and ignored this breach of etiquette. "What is it?"

"Milord, one of the Rahitheon men sent to sell Valyrian steel weapons at Oldtown disappeared at the Wendwater. He was supposed to meet up with a boatman at the Grassy Vale, but he never showed up."

Their father rubbed his face, as did Aegon, Rhaenys, Orys, and their mother from enough worries and shocks today. Jaenyx and Visenya, however, were livid. From what they knew about the letter, it was very possible that the Arrogant king either knew about the Rahitheon man going missing or was involved in it to force their hand. _What did we just get into?_

**Lot to cover in this chapter, but needed to kick things off on the right foot. Plus, a lot to cover since one year passed and time jumps in fanfiction are risky moves. To clarify, Darvin Hoare and the Storm King are not working together, but rather the kidnapping became an opportunity that both seized to take advantage of the dragons. It will not end well for them, for woe be to those who try to manipulate the dragonlords. **

**Regarding the magic, had to take more liberties with Valyrian magic and much more with Rhoynish magic. As I said, I'm only working on what has been released. Singing in water magic was done by the Rhoynish princes with pure blood and near the waters of the Rhoyne, so it would makes sense that it would take much more effort for the Rahitheons to accomplish even a part of their feats, and they lost their voices temporarily in the process. Hopefully, that works for all of you. **

**The Tarareons will kick ass during the Conquest. So, pay attention to them.**

**Longclaw 1-6 and osterreicher97 have helped me considerably in planning out the start and the overall arc. Thanks very much and I will look forward to more conversations for this story. I have also posted this story on Ao3, so please follow me there.  
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**Next, we will see the situation further develop from Jaenyx's POV. **


	10. Jaenyx III

**Will try to stick with my update schedule of at least twice a week, but all of you deserve a good read of the Conquest. **

JAENYX III

Jaenyx was locked in a passionate kiss with Visenya at her chambers in Dragonstone's castle. The ironborn prince and the Arrogant king's letter both did much to make their family anxious. While they could rely on their dragons to protect them, there were still too many unknowns lurking around the island. Lord Targaryen had graciously invited his daughter and good-son to stay the night at the castle, allowing them to use Visenya's old chambers even though it was still hers since no one else slept in them. They would reconvene later that night after evening sup to further discuss their course of action regarding the ironborn prince, the Arrogant king at Storm's End, and the missing Rahitheon man. For Jaenyx, he intended to take care of a few pieces of business before the meeting after evening sup. Him being lost in his wife's body was one of them.

Their union lasted one year and their bond became unbreakable during that time. Jaenyx's revealing of how his mother died prompted Visenya to share her own secrets, some of which were related to her study of blood rituals. The biggest she shared was when she killed her first man after a dispute gone wrong while visiting the Arbor as a guest of House Redwyne. The man, a knight sworn to House Redwyne, looked at her inappropriately and he got angry when she actually confronted him about it. The knight was not pleased that a woman talked back to him, so he moved to paw at her intimate places. Before he touched her, Visenya pulled out her dagger and stabbed through the knight's lower jaw, watching him choke on his blood before she had to flee the area. Although that man was her first kill, she did not puke nor think twice like those who took a life. Instead, she felt gratified from spilling the blood of a man who tried to have his way with her. Visenya said that Lord Redwyne was very displeased at her conduct, but only told her to leave when even he couldn't deny what the knight tried to do.

Jaenyx had only been with a woman once, and that time involved too much sadness and drink for it to be a clear memory. He had never considered himself a sweet talker with the ladies, as his brother Gaerys or "Gary" was exactly that for the ladies and better suited to negotiating with other people. Sometimes he wondered what would have happened had Gary lived instead of him, as Jaenyx knew firsthand the burdens that came with being a leader and there were times when he wanted to simply pass the reins to someone more interested. Gary might have gotten more from Lord Targaryen if he had led his people to Dragonstone.

_Remember, do not dwell on what is not here anymore. Only thing that is within your power is moving forward, without worrying about the ghosts of the past_, were Master Haru's words. He could not properly mourn for his parents and brother since assuming the responsibilities as a leader, but Jaenyx knew that there were more important things at the present. And right now, he was in the loving embrace of an incredible woman, one who could take care of herself and one who entrusted her life in his hands while he entrusted his into hers.

Falling onto the bed, the one where they spent their first night as man and wife, Jaenyx felt his arms pinned above his head while Visenya gave him a rather forceful kiss. Tongues fighting for dominance, Jaenyx winced as he felt her bite his lower lip. She kissed down from his lips to necks, giving more bites along the way. Not willing to let her have all the fun, Jaenyx rolled her onto the bed and kissed her all the way down to her bosom. Satisfied with how she moaned when he put his lips on her cleavage, he leaned up and took off his tunic, exposing his chest to her lustful eyes. She reached up and ran her hands along his well-defined abdominals before pulling his face down for another kiss. While their mouths were on each other, Jaenyx hiked up her dress and tore away her underclothes, his fingers penetrating her entrance as she let out a loud gasp.

"_Oh my gods, Jae! Please don't stop!_" he heard her plea.

"_Why would I, Vis, when I can feel you getting wetter_?" Jaenyx pushed his fingers harder against the sides of her clit, the crescendoing of her moans spurring him further. Remembering something from the last time he'd been with a woman, he pulled his fingers out, moved further down the bed, and placed his head between her legs. His tongue licking the sides of her entrance earned him even louder moans from Visenya, prompting him to push further into her.

Before he could push his tongue more into her, Jaenyx felt Visenya lean up, grab him by his underarms, and pull him up to her face. Purple eyes locking with each other, Visenya undid his breeches and wrapped her legs around his hips. "_Get inside me now!_" she ordered. He didn't need her command as he placed a strong kiss on her lips and slid inside her.

Jaenyx slammed into her at a fiery pace, the noise of their hips smacking together filling the chambers along with their intense wails of pleasure. Visenya clawed at her husband's back, her nails scratching all over and a few whines of pain escaping Jaenyx's mouth while still locked in their kiss. Instead of easing off his back, he felt his wife dig deeper, pleased that her husband was allowing his feelings to be released in their bed in contrast to his normally icy and restrained demeanor. Jaenyx did not know if he should be worried that she took pleasure in putting him in a little bit of pain as they coupled, but she told him that it was a small price to pay if it willed him into being more expressive with her and not be so consumed with his duties as a leader.

Jaenyx learned that Visenya liked their lovemaking to have adventure and at least some pain, which she said was how real pleasure was obtained. The one time where he tried to be gentle with her the night after their wedding night, she gave him a right hook to the jaw and got him in a headlock while strongly grasping his cock. Seeing her smile at his pain startled him, but he then fought back with an equal intensity as he pinned her down. He would either pin her down or she would, but she expected both of them to give all they got. It was a process that felt… refreshing to Jaenyx, as it served as proof that nobody fucked with his wife, in the metaphorical sense. They either committed fully, or they were denied Visenya's fidelity. Jaenyx's acquiescence to his wife's wishes earned him the latter, in full.

Noticing that Visenya still had her dress on, Jaenyx ripped the top of her dress, exposing her breasts and bare torso to his ravenous mouth. He latched onto her right nipple as he thrusted harder into her.

"Jae….." he heard Visenya moan. Moving onto her left nipple, he left one of her hands grab his silver hair, pulling on them as they both reached their climax. "_Fuck, Jae_!" was her final shout before she felt Jaenyx spill into her. Jaenyx felt his breath hold and his body paralyzed as waves of pleasure passed through both of them. A sharp exhale left both of them as Jaenyx fell on her and both were left to catch their breath.

Her ruined dress still draping her nude form, Jaenyx ran his hand against Visenya's flat and muscled belly, her years spent training in combat sculpting into the perfect warrior goddess. The skin on her arms and legs tightened around her lean but powerful muscles while her magnificently-defined abdominals and her blissfully-proportioned breasts would make any man drool in lust over her. It certainly did for Jaenyx, a fact that Visenya exploited constantly to make him do her bidding.

"Daijoubu desu ka?" Visenya asked with slight concern while using a little bit of the nihongo he taught her. Even though she liked putting Jaenyx in a little pain to make their lovemaking more fulfilling, she was thoughtful enough to ask afterwards.

"Daijoubu," Jaenyx responded, smiling at her concern after their lovemaking. He turned her towards him and gave her a deep kiss. "_Getting better every time, Vis._"

"_I think that's the point of making love_," Visenya rolled her eyes. "_First time was great, but everytime should be better lest we start thinking we picked the wrong person_."

"_Not sure if we had a choice at the first time_," Jaenyx pointed out. He got a playful slap to his chest.

"_Admit it. You wanted to ride me the moment you saw me_," she snarked.

"_Only after I took off your dress_." Technically true, even though Jaenyx did see her as a beautiful specimen before their wedding.

"_Fuck you_." Jaenyx found it amusing to see her swear at him, one thing that she got her Velaryon mother. "_Still, at least you're not your unapproachable self when we're in our bed. You know just how to please me._" She twirled her fingers around his pecs.

Jaenyx shrugged. "_Only a dragon can please a dragon. And this is just me fulfilling my promise to make you mine and mine alone._"

Jaenyx saw Visenya gaze at him lovingly, pulling into a kiss before she rolled him onto his back. She straddled his cock while she pulled down her ripped dress, the fabric falling off her shoulders and pooling around her waist to expose her bare form to her husband. "_Just as I am yours, you are mine. You're not the only one who gets to rule our bed_."

* * *

Jaenyx stared at the ceiling, running his hand along his wife's naked body as she slept. He didn't dare think about other matters as they engaged in their lovemaking, as Visenya would know instantly and would knee him in the balls for being distracted. Jaenyx had yet to learn how to separate the handling of his exterior life from his personal life, but Visenya gave him a good start. After four times of writhing in pain from being kneed and allowing her to take full control while he still recovered, he became fully concentrated in their lovemaking and then cursed himself for even being slightly inattentive to his wife.

As Visenya lay snuggled against his side as she dozed off from exhaustion, something lingered in Jaenyx's mind. He could accept that Vaeron's kidnapping by the ironborn could've been a coincidence, an instance of bad luck in being robbed and assaulted by Hoare's bannermen. However, another Rahitheon going missing at the Wendwater in the Stormlands, along with the Arrogant king most certainly knowing what happened, pushed such thoughts aside. That, and the fact that he could not afford to judge every misfortune befalling his people as instances of bad luck lest he become passive in his leading and protecting them.

Jaenyx could tell that his education so far had been met with a mixed reception among the more Westerosi members of the Targaryen household. Quenton Qoherys, the castle's master-at-arms and carrying the blood of Valyria, was the most skeptical in that while he acknowledged the benefits of his training, he clearly said that Jaenyx's way of fighting would not work against those in plate armor and that his katana and wakizashi would likely fail to do damage against armored knights. Jaenyx was a strong believer in his training by Master Haru, but he was not so stubborn to ignore commentaries from an outside perspective. Master Haru taught him the importance of adaptability to one's environment, something that both he and Qoherys shared in their teachings despite their differing interpretations. He spent the last year reading how knights fought and observing closely Aegon and Orys' styles, the closest things to knights available to him.

Yet, Qoherys lacked knowledge of one area that was just as important as battles, an area that Master Haru acquired from his years as a warrior-turned operative in Yi-Ti: spying. Konno Haru saw his previous lord be executed by the Yi-Ti emperor, causing him to be a drifter and forcing him to sell his sword to survive. He then came across a band of men dressed in black cloaks and wielding daggers, all of whom were also drifters. They held no loyalty to any lord and received payment to completing tasks such as assassination, spying, and sabotage under the cover of night. Haru relished his new life, as he was able to take revenge on the lords who had disgraced his liege lord and getting satisfaction after seeing their hypocrisy in unobstructed view from the shadows. He learned much from his time there before leaving with a group and coming across Jaenyx's family.

Master Haru imparted onto him the many aspects coming from spying as well as educating him on one's basic motivations. Be it a lord or a beggar, all men and women were motivated by basic desires such as money, power, sex, and approval. In developing an agent, Master Haru stated that you started with something as innocuous as asking for directions. Then, you attempted to strike up conversations that slowly delved into more intimate topics such as family. Developing trust was key, along with intuition on how to seek the things you want from the agent. Throughout the process, you utilize what has been revealed to your advantage and put pressure on the weak points. Finally, you exploit the agent's desires to obtain what you want or need. Such was a basic framework that Haru taught Jaenyx.

Jaenyx reflected on his lessons with Master Haru as he tried to figure out who knew about where the Rahitheon traders would be. It was not a secret that they were going to sell their Valyrian steel weapons on the market, but they informed their uncle Aevor Rahitheon and Jaenyx of the exact routes they would take before departing Dragonstone. Call it a precaution, but Jaenyx wanted to ensure that they did not deviate from their course. Any deviations usually meant they ran off with their products or something happened to them on the way. For his people, they would never do the former.

_So, who else knew how Vaeron was getting to Lannisport and Garaeron to Oldtown_? He knew that the second time a Rahitheon got caught on the road was no coincidence, meaning that someone leaked their routes to their kidnappers. More seriously, someone tipped another that their prey was carrying Valyrian steel, possession of which was only reserved for someone with incredibly deep pockets. That meant that there was someone on Dragonstone informing their enemies of their activities on the island. Both the Hoare prince and the Arrogant king smelled blood in the air after the kidnapping and they were moving to get their share of the loot. They could not trust the Arrogant king implicating Black Harren in his son's schemes, but they could not eliminate the possibility that he had some knowledge of what had happened.

Jaenyx ran through the list of the people who might have divulged the Rahitheon men's whereabouts: servants, cooks, the Westerosi members of the household, the boatmen that took them to the mainland. What these types of people had in common was that they would not say no to making a bit of extra coin when they had the chance. Most of those with noble blood would often ignore their servants' presence and proceed to divulge their greatest secrets to them in the process. A lot of key information could be gained from a disgruntled servant, but that would not make a lot of sense in Lord Targaryen's household. He might have represented how Westerosi lords behaved, but Jaenyx never saw him mistreat a member of his household. The servants had good opinions of him and they would not allow thoughts of betrayal enter their minds.

The same could be said of the cooks. More popular than their lord was Lady Targaryen, whom the cooks and the rest of the household found to be refreshing. As she saw them everyday, she revealed her foul-mouthed, fiery self, which did much endear herself to all in the castle. She took her duties as Lady of Dragonstone further than was expected of other ladies, showing no hesitance in sweeping the floors, cooking, washing the sheets, and sewing up ruined clothes among other things. The cooks said that they learned how to be better at their duties because of her and they did not mind when she beat them in the head whenever they got the recipe wrong because they knew that she did not do it out of malice. So, the cooks had no reason to betray their lords, as that would mean betraying Lady Targaryen.

From what the servants said about his good-mother Lady Targaryen, Jaenyx could see where Visenya got her disdain for conventions and her unapologetic commitment to being herself. Aegon inherited the dragon's temper in its purest form from both sides, which Jaenyx caught a glimpse of while in the training yard. That instance was when he moved too fast for Aegon and did a side push kick on his chest, knocking the wind out of him and making him land hard on his ass. Jaenyx did not know what had happened earlier that day, but Aegon had found a way to vent whatever frustrations he had onto him. He fought back ferociously and both wrestled to the ground and before someone got seriously hurt, Orys pulled Aegon off of him and Visenya holding Jaenyx back.

Pulling out of his distraction, Jaenyx thought about who else would sell out the Rahitheons. Then, a realization struck him. Such realization was how he brought himself out of bed, dressed, and had a message sent to the one who last seen the Rahitheon who went to the Storm King's domains. It was while after he put his tunic back on that he felt a pair of arms grasping him from behind, one resting on his left shoulder and another going up into his tunic and tracing its fingers along the defined lines of his torso. He smiled when he felt Visenya's chin rest on his left shoulder.

"_Come back to bed, Jae_," Visenya whispered in his ear. "_Who said we were done_?"

Jaenyx chuckled. "_As tempting as that sounds, Vis, I have to take care of something important._"

"_What could be more important than us melding together_?" he felt her nibble into his ear.

Jaenyx sighed, wanting nothing more than to hold her body and make love to her under the sheets. _Duty calls_. "_I need to talk with someone, regarding our missing Rahitheon_."

Visenya's nibbling stopped, Jaenyx sensing her mood turning serious. She was just as bothered and worried about the sudden turn of events of the day. "_Who do you think informed on our man_?"

"_That's what I'm going to find out. You can come along if you want_." He almost said to her to go back to bed, but he knew better than to make her feel like he was cutting her out of important matters.

"_Right after I find a dress you haven't torn apart yet, I will._"

"_Come now. You hate wearing those dresses and you only wore that one since the tunics and trousers you usually wear are still being cleaned._"

"_I really need to get more clothes that I will like and that I won't let you rip_," he heard her mutter before she released him from her grip.

They helped each other dress, committing their forms deeper into their memories. Jaenyx honestly had never expected to be with a woman at all, as that was the last thing on his mind while in Sothoryos. But the past year did wonders for him that went beyond his expectations. They both talked about having children, but were more content in enjoying each other as much as they could before another dragon joined them. Lord Targaryen kept asking when his grandchild would come after seeing how deep their feelings for each other became, while Lady Targaryen was still a little lukewarm about her good-son. _Who could blame her? I'm still a stranger that just happened to fuck her daughter in legitimate circumstances_.

Fully dressed, Jaenyx and Visenya moved through the halls of Dragonstone before turning to Aegon's chambers. Visenya was confused as to why he would need Aegon also, but Jaenyx told him that he needed his good-brother and good-sister with him also. Nearing their chambers, they halted upon hearing loud moans and wooden creaks through the door. Sharing a bewildered look with each other, both Jaenyx and Visenya snickered at Aegon and Rhaenys' obliviousness to their eavesdropping. However, Jaenyx could not delay even though he knew that a couple making love was a precious moment. Mustering his courage, he knocked on the door.

"_Egg, we need to talk to you_." Jaenyx sincerely hoped that his good-brother would not blow up in his face even though he learned to handle it and despite the fact that he was also a dragon.

The door opened, with Jaenyx and Visenya staring at an indignant Aegon, his bare chest and hastily-worn breeches covering his bottom half. "What are you two doing here?"

"_I have a problem that needs both of you. It has something to do with our Rahitheon man going missing in Storm King's domains_." Jaenyx cut straight to the point.

Aegon instantly became concerned. "Do you know who did it?"

"That's what we're going to find out," Visenya answered.

"Egg, is that Jae and Vis?" they heard Rhaenys call out.

"Yeah, it is." Aegon opened the door wider, all of them seeing Rhaenys walking up to them, a black sheet draped around her naked body but her shoulders remaining bare and her hair ruffled up. She also was still recovering from the ecstasy that gripped both her and Aegon by her somewhat unfocused eyes.

"_Have fun, Rhae_?" Jaenyx smiled.

Rhaenys shrugged while a lustful grin directed at Aegon grew. "You know it, Jae. Been pretty busy for the last hour or so."

"_Would not have interrupted if it wasn't anything important_," Jaenyx said apologetically.

"That's okay. Would not wish to do that for you two also, if the sounds from your chambers are to say anything," Rhaenys winked. That somewhat riled up Visenya.

"Stay away from our chambers, pervert!" Visenya snapped.

"The doors and the walls are thinner than you think," Rhaenys replied mischievously.

"All right, ladies," Aegon put both hands up. "Let's get back to why Jaenyx and Visenya decided to come here." He stared at his good-brother. "You know who sold him out?"

"_I have a strong idea. I need to get to the docks, though. Things might go smoother if you and Rhae came along._"

Aegon nodded nonchalantly. "All right. Just give a few moments and we'll be right out."

The four young dragons walked down from Dragonstone and moved to the docks at the base of the Dragonmont. Jaenyx insisted that Aegon and Visenya bring Blackfyre and Dark Sister while he brought his Yi-Tish swords and Rhaenys would be the soft touch. Confused, they did as he asked.

Jaenyx approached a boatman sitting next to his tied boat, a man from the Westerosi mainland, Duskendale if he remembered correctly.

"Is your name Larris?" Jaenyx surprised the man.

"Milords and miladys," Larris stood up. "How could I help you?"

"Could you accompany us as we walk through the town?" That confused Visenya, Rhaenys, and Aegon.

"Sure!"

But it wasn't a simple walk. Jaenyx kept behind Larris as they walked out of the town, his body stiff as if expecting something bad to happen. Once they were out of sight of the town and onto the beach next to the cliffside, they came across a boulder.

"Sit down, Larris," Jaenyx pointed to the boulder.

"Milord?"

"My husband told you to sit down," Visenya ordered. Larris complied.

Aegon and Rhaenys kept their distance while Jaenyx and Visenya stood close to Larris. "I know that you are the last to have seen Garaeron Rahitheon since you transported him to the Wendwater and you also told him of another boatman that would meet him at the Grassy Vale who take him to Oldtown." Larris nodded at Jaenyx. "Did you know that he went missing?" Larris nodded, but he became a little nervous. "Could you think of anything that might've happened to him?"

Larris paused, but Jaenyx could see that he was taking his time with his words. "Probably bandits set upon him, milord. That's common for anyone traveling from one kingdom to another."

"Possibly," Jaenyx affirmed. "But, why him out of all the travelers in Westeros?"

There was another pause. "I don't know, milord."

"So you don't know what Garaeron was transporting to Oldtown?"

"He told me that it was some swords that Dragonstone forged."

"And do you know what those swords are made out of?"

Jaenyx saw Larris's fingers fidgeting. "Valyrian steel," he finally said.

"And I trust you know how valuable Valyrian steel is throughout the known world?"

"Yes."

Jaenyx looked back at Aegon and Rhaenys, who were both confused as to where this was going. He then gazed at Visenya, who caught on.

"Let me tell you a story, Larris." Larris was befuddled. "I was in the jungles of Sothoryos one time along with my father some of my people. Our goal was to cut down some trees there since timber in that continent is practically without cost. Now, we came across this elephant in this clearing. The poor creature had been set upon by a giant ape, its tusks shattered and its legs crushed. But its trunk and mouth miraculously remained intact, so all we heard were its cries of pain. An elephant cry is quite piercing, even more so when you know what the elephant is feeling." Jaenyx stopped to reflect on that memory before continuing. "Now, I was one and ten and my father gave me a knife. He told me, 'Put this animal out of its misery.' I never killed anything before and killing an animal was something that seemed… strange to me. But, I couldn't just let that elephant stay in that clearing while I could hear its pain. My father gave me some nudging and told me where to stab. It took me a moment, but I held that knife tightly and dug the blade deep in that elephant's eye. I got so deep that I could feel the muscles inside the eye socket," Jaenyx let out a laugh. "The elephant's cries got louder as I dug deeper, but eventually, enough blood came out of its eye that it bled out right there and the elephant went limp."

Jaenyx ignored how uncomfortable Aegon and Rhaenys became after hearing his story. They knew how to hunt and knew what it was like to kill animals, but they never heard about such an experience with such vivid details. "Do you know what the lesson of this story is, Larris?" Jaenyx continued.

Larris shook his head, but was even more uncomfortable than Aegon and Rhaenys. Visenya was indifferent, having heard it before.

"The lesson of this story is that if I have it in me to kill a breathing thing to put it out of its pain, what do you think I will do to you if you don't tell me who you told about Vaeron's and Garaeron's whereabouts?" Both Jaenyx and Visenya put their hands on their swords, ready to strike, while Aegon and Rhaenys' eyes widened at this revelation.

Larris was shaking at that moment, as there was no point in denying his actions. He stood from the boulder and went on his knees. "Please, milord, I needed to care for my children—"

"SHUT UP!" Visenya yelled as she drew Dark Sister and held the tip of the blade under Larris' chin.

"Who did you tell?" Visenya could see the fire growing in Jaenyx's eyes.

"I was approached six months ago by a man who was on the crew of Prince Hoare's ship. He offered me two sacks of silver if I told him who was coming to and from Dragonstone carrying Valyrian steel weapons. Then, another man who said he served the Storm King offered me three sacks of silver for the same thing."

"Five sacks of silver?" Jaenyx scoffed. "Raising a family would require only half a sack."

"There is much to made off of Valyrian steel and I merely got my cut since your men used my boat!" Larris spat.

Jaenyx saw Aegon approach Larris, anger also apparent. "You spied on us for six months? Who else has been doing that?!"

"Virtually every boatman you hired from around the Blackwater Bay," Larris confessed. "But what can you honestly do against Black Harren and the Storm King? You have a few thousand soldiers and not enough ships to take on the ironborn."

Aegon turned to Jaenyx. "We need to tell Father about this. He'll know what to do."

Before he knew it, Jaenyx drew his sword and slashed off Larris' right ear. He fell to the sand, grasping where his ear was in pain.

"What in the hells are you doing?!" Aegon shouted.

"_We'll tell Father about this, but I suggest something different than just killing him_."

Aegon crossed his arms. "What do you mean?"

"_He's spying on us. Let's keep it that way_."

Aegon and Rhaenys narrowed their eyes while Visenya merely watched. "You want him to keep spying on us?" Aegon asked incredulously.

"_Yes, but he'll tell his masters what we tell him to say_." Jaenyx leaned down to Larris and stared square in the eye. "As of right now, you belong to us. We tell you what to say and tell you where to go. We say jump, you jump. We say cut yourself, you do exactly that. You say anything else or try to escape, we will find you and you die. And we'll feed your corpse and those of your family to our dragons. You understand?"

Larris kept holding where his ear was cut off, but pissed his pants as he stared at the dragonfire behind Jaenyx's eyeballs. He got him up and pushed him back to the town, silently warning him to make up how he lost his ear.

"Why did you have to threaten his family?" Rhaenys asked.

"_He said he spied on us for his family. Let's see it would true when he does exactly what we tell him to do_."

Aegon turned him around. "I don't approve of your methods, Jae!" he said through clenched teeth. "Families are supposed to be untouchable among men's disputes."

"_Oh, yeah? Unfortunately, the ironborn are not as considerate as you are and possibly the Arrogant king is like that also. I'm merely responding._"

Aegon grabbed his shoulders. "Next time you do something like that, inform us first. We're family, so we shouldn't do things alone."

Jaenyx thought about that before nodding and putting Aegon's arms down. "_All right. Let's go tell Father then._" Jaenyx walked back to the castle in front of Aegon and Rhaenys, Visenya holding his hand along the way. Jaenyx was not going to apologize for his actions, but he knew Aegon to be right. _Not alone anymore. I need to be more considerate_.

**As I said, Jaenyx will learn something from his new family while they'll learn something from him, and here is the first thing. Will try to write more interactions between Jaenyx and the rest of the Targaryens besides Visenya. Starting to get more comfortable writing intimate scenes, as it is all a matter of letting go your inhibitions. That, and being able to compartmentalize. Is it weird that I listened to Ne-Yo's "She Got Her Own" while I wrote that? **

**So, we get a glimpse of the role Jaenyx will play in the Conquest. I envision Aegon as the charismatic leader, Rhaenys the sweet-talking diplomat, Orys as the staunch loyalist who you need to hammer through obstacles, Visenya as the creative and aggressive commander, and Jaenyx as the guy to call to lead sneak attacks and intelligence operations. What do you all think? And Aegon will definitely have issues with Jaenyx's methods, as he finds him too willing to resort to more "dishonorable" tactics. It'll be one conflict between them that they both have to work out. **

**Next, we see Rhaenys observing the first spark of the Conquest. Sit tight!**


	11. Rhaenys III

**WHOOOO! 100 FOLLOWERS! It occurred faster than I thought when I decided to start this story mere weeks ago. Thank you so much for all of your strong support and I can only hope to meet or exceed your expectations as this story goes on.**

RHAENYS III

Rhaenys watched as their father, Jaenyx, and Aegon discussed the boatman. Even she knew that if the boatman's words were true, then their home had been targeted by their enemies longer than they thought and now they were in danger. She did not agree with Jaenyx cutting off the boatman's ear, whose name began to escape her due to his non-importance, nor his threats against his family. However, she was a dragon and she would not allow threats against her and her family to go unpunished. She was more surprised at how quick her good-brother was in resorting to violent measures. _Even more than Vis, it seems._

Rhaenys and Jaenyx became very close in the past year. Her mother had taught her how to dance and how to play the lute, harp, vielle, and recorder. She had also had a very good opinion of her voice, as many told how she sung like the Maiden herself with her purity and divinity. _Wonder how they know the Maiden sounds like_? She knew much more about music and instruments than her good-brother, being able to bring joy and laughter to the hall. However, her good-brother's music had more sorrow and brought more contemplation to those who could listen. His fingers gliding all over the koto and his closed eyes as he played brought out a deeper aspect of music that Rhaenys never thought about. Instead of joy and happiness, one would enter a state of mind where they would listen to the sounds around them and ponder about the many questions that concern existence when they would listen to Jaenyx's playing of the koto.

Furthermore, Jaenyx also knew many Yi-Tish tunes alongside Valyrian ones. His voice was of a deep, rich nature, almost like the feeling one would get when bathing in a hot spring. His voice could put one to sleep, which he didn't realize until he saw Rhaenys' becoming drowsy. But that was not what Rhaenys noticed about his voice. He had a higher, lighter voice when he talked normally, both his Valyrian and lilted common tongue exhibiting the soft politeness and propriety expected of those with noble blood. He also possessed a hardiness and commanding tone when he gave out instructions to his people. But when he sang, Rhaenys sensed gloominess and longing that ran deeper than the earth. There were moments when she saw a tear falling from his eye, a sign of him being absorbed by the music.

Rhaenys remembered when Jaenyx played this one song on the koto, one of many that he learned from his Master Konno Haru. Jaenyx said the tune was called in nihongo "feelings of two people", or futari no kimochi. She didn't understand a word that was sung, but he said that he felt his family speak to him in the song despite the song not being in High Valyrian. He said that chorus went like:

_My darling, please stop your tears_

_There's no eternal farewell_

_Time passes, throughout an era_

_I will still protect you_

Rhaenys said that sounded more like a love song, but Jaenyx said that the words ran deeper than romantic feelings, and he could hear his mother's voice as she tried to tell him that she and his family will always watch over him. And that was before she saw his eyes become red and more tears streamed down.

Rhaenys wondered how Jaenyx dealt with losing his family before he came of age, as she could not have expected to have retained her sanity if she went through the same thing at his age. Over the past year, she began to see that he buried himself in his duties as a leader, his marriage to Visenya, and through singing Yi-Tish and Valyrian tunes. However, she could sense that he never really recovered from the pain and that his actions merely was a facade to hide his vulnerabilities. _Then again, who would?_

Rhaenys saw that out of her family and besides their mother, Jaenyx was closest with the women. He and Visenya were similar in many ways, one being that they were quick to draw blood from those that wronged them or those who got them angry, but he gave her the attention and respect that other men denied her. As for Rhaenys, they both saw how music could be a curing influence to the afflictions of the heart, although Rhaenys played music to bring happiness while he did it to ease the boundless pain within him. That was when Rhaenys decided to become the sister he never had, as she wanted to bring him out of the hole that he was thrown into while Visenya would provide him with the love that he needed.

However, Rhaenys did not know how to react given the current circumstances.

"We cannot just sit here and allow the lackeys of Black Harren and the Arrogant king to make a mockery of us!" Orys yelled. She was surprised at how personal her brother took the situation, despite not being close with Jaenyx. "If they can spy on us with impunity, who knows what they will do next?"

"We are of the same mind, Orys," their father replied. "Robbing our products, kidnapping members of one of my good-son's vassal families, and now spying on us through the boatmen… they will only get bolder if we offer no response."

"But what can we do, father?" Aegon asked. "We have only three to four thousand men who could wield arms and less than one hundred ships. Black Harren can call on ten times that number and twice as many ships while the Arrogant king commands some of the best soldiers on the continent, soldiers who have fought in the Dornish Marches for the past thousand years."

"We have four dragons," Visenya commented. "Six, if not counting the two wild ones in the Dragonmont. They can do a lot of damage against our enemies before they harm our soldiers."

Aegon rolled his eyes. "Yes, but they never been in war and we don't know how to ride them in battle. We could consult the histories on how Valyria used its dragons against the Ghiscari and the Rhoynish, but actual experience beats knowledge from books anyday. In addition, we do not know how to tame the wild dragons, so we can't use them."

"True, but do you have experience, Egg?" Visenya shot back. He didn't answer. "Then, you're not in a position to say we're ready either."

"_My first action would've been to increase security around Dragonstone, Driftmark, and Claw Isle, but that's already been done_," Jaenyx jumped in. "_For now, we should cease our sale of Valyrian steel weapons and send trackers to the Storm Kingdom to find Garaeron Rahitheon_."

"We have to tread carefully with sending trackers, Jae," Aegon said. "If they're caught, the Storm King could escalate the situation by sending actual soldiers against us."

"We'll burn them with our dragons, Egg," Visenya replied. "Like the rest of Westeros, they've never seen what they can do."

Rhaenys stepped in. "We should not be rash about this, Vis. There has not been any obvious acts of aggression against us by the Storm King or Black Harren. I would suggest sending a message to Storm's End. That way, the Arrogant king will have to reply to us. If he tries to lie to us, we'll know. If he doesn't respond, that's the same as admitting that he knew what happened."

Their father nodded. "That could work in normal circumstances, but you forget about the last letter King Argilac wrote to us. He's expecting a response to his offering his daughter's hand to Egg, which we cannot do. However, us saying no might give him the reason he needs to go to war with us. If there is anything that we can be sure of regarding the Arrogant king, it is that he will not respond well to anyone spurning him. He crossed the narrow sea against Volantis because the Volantenes spat at his trade offer in his presence, and he mutilated King Gardener at Summerfield after he insulted Argilac's inability to have a son."

"_Aren't we being too cautious about this_?" Jaenyx looked genuinely confused. "_I don't mean to disrespect where you grew up, but you also forget one of my vassals is House Tarareon, the same house that held the Rhoynish horde back centuries ago. Outside Valysar on the eastern banks of the Rhoyne, six thousand Tarareon cavalrymen and infantry held back seventy-two thousand Rhoynish from advancing onto Volantis. The Tarareons used their enemies' numbers against them since a large army takes days to cross the Rhoyne without a bridge. The Rhoynish were picked apart in piecemeal since the Tarareons were able to react quickly to each party landing on the east bank and delayed them long enough for the dragons to burn the rest alive. We have one thousand men of House Tarareon able to fight, so I would say we use them. Let them do what they do best: destroy the enemy. It would not take much effort to pick apart the Westerosi armies that would march against us, from what I've seen so far._"

Visenya nodded in approval, not liking the passive responses from the rest of her family. But, he had one detractor. "The Second Spice War happened centuries ago," Orys argued. "Since you bring numbers, perhaps you don't realize that we're heavily outnumbered. Black Harren and Argilac can amass a combined host of sixty-thousand men, with Black Harren also commanding at least two hundred ships. Your Tarareons don't have their horses and half of our ships are not built for war."

Rhaenyx saw Jaenyx shrug. "_Nothing that they can't handle. The Celtigars bring another thousand soldiers to us, not to mention the six hundred swords that are on Dragonstone at present. In addition, both Black Harren and the Arrogant king have to wait weeks to bring their full host to bear due to the inefficiencies of this fucking continent while we can move faster. The two hundred ships that you speak of, most of them are on the other side of Westeros and it would be at least a month before they can make it here, that is if the Gardener fleet will let them pass without a fight. We can beat them._"

Rhaenys was less confident, however. "That is assuming that we can bring together our men faster than our enemies. I would suggest getting ready while also taking Jaenyx's suggestion to send out trackers. We can't totally unprepared after all."

Jaenyx nodded at her. "_And if they attack our trackers, then we won't be the aggressor in that instance_."

Their father leaned back, the weight of the situation bearing down on him. "Sometimes, I wonder if our restarting Valyrian steel forging have made us an enticing target to our enemies throughout the Blackwater Bay."

"I disagree, father," Visenya spoke up. "The way the many kings in Westeros act, with their constant romping with each other, we would have been drawn in their petty squabbles one way or another. They might not fully believe in what our dragons can do, but they are willing to use us to fight their battles. Valyrian steel just gave them a good excuse to do so while mocking us in the process."

Their mother chose this moment to enter the discussion. "All of you know that I may not have the best feelings for your good-brother." They all nodded while she stared at Jaenyx. "However, they have done many good things for us. We now have farms on Dragonstone and we became wealthier because of them. And I'll be damned if I let some fucking ironborn or storm shits bring harm to our door."

"Hear, hear," Aegon pounded on the table while Orys, Rhaenys, and Visenya followed suit. Jaenyx nodded his thanks to their mother. Their father held up his hand, getting all of their attention.

"All right, here's what we'll do," their father stood up with firmness. "Send a message to your cousin Daemon at Driftmark, Crispian at Claw Isle, and to Sweetport Sound. We're calling the banners."

Rhaenys saw Jaenyx nodding, a smile growing on his face. Visenya looked at her father with pride, as their mother, while Aegon and Orys stood in resolution, accepting their father's decision while hiding their reservations. As for Rhaenys, she wasn't sure if she should be afraid or unsure of the consequences of their father's decision. Calling the banners was not a decision to be taken lightly, as all knew it was a move towards conflict.

"Rhae, work with Jaenyx to find our most discreet people to find Garaeron Rahitheon. Also, Jaenyx, I trust you will support me in this measure with your men?"

"_Of course, good-father_," Jaenyx replied while still smile. "_It's time we show these shits who they're dealing with_."

"Absolutely. Also, we should get Balerion, Vhagar, Meraxes, and Cloudwynd together. Make sure that they are stable enough for battle."

Rhaenys spoke. "Father, while I will support your decision, I don't know how I will handle being in a fight. I've never had any training with a sword like Egg, Orys, Vis, and Jae. I have hunted before, but I never killed a man."

Visenya put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, Rhae. You'll do just fine on Meraxes. We'll also keep you safe."

"But that's the point. By keeping me safe, you'll also be risking yourselves. I don't want any of you to get hurt because of me," Rhaenys could not disguise her worries anymore.

"But you're our sister," Orys walked up to her. "That's the least we could do. If you really need it, we can all show you how to defend yourself."

"_Exactly, Rhae,_" Jaenyx stood next to Orys. Despite the still-ongoing tension between them, it warmed her heart to see both of them agree on something.

"Thank you," Rhaenys managed. "Kirimvose."

The door suddenly burst open, with Quenton Qoherys running into the solar with fear in his eyes.

"What is it?" their father asked.

"Ironborn ships! Spotted at the south and west!"

All of their eyes grew wide. _Already we have to fight?_ Rhaenys fearfully thought.

"Sound the alarm!" their father ran towards the door while the rest ran out of the solar. "Send a message to Daemon and Maerys Tarareon to get here with haste and prepare to defend the castle. Jaenyx—"

"_I will send for Ragaemor to assemble the men. We should also mount our dragons_."

Aegon stopped. "But we never rode them in—"

"_Now's a good time, Egg_!" Jaenyx responded. "_I never rode Cloudwynd into battle either, but we don't have a choice now._"

The household guards ran about the castle, their swords drawn, arrows at the ready, and oil boiled. Aegon and Orys dressed in their armor, a mix of scales and steel plates, while Visenya dressed in her dragon coat that Jaenyx gifted to her on their wedding night. Jaenyx came to the courtyard clad in his Valyrian steel segmented cuirass, with his arms and legs covered with Valyrian steel plates and Valyrian steel mail covering the rest while he wore wore steel gloves, leather boots, and a ridge helmet. Aegon had Blackfyre strapped to his waist and Flame Screecher to his back, Visenya with Dark Sister, Orys with his Valyrian steel axe strapped to his left side, and Jaenyx with his Yi-Tish swords on his left side and a hand-and-a-half sword strapped to his back. Rhaenys did not know much about that other sword other than it was a family heirloom, made from a fallen star and infused with dragon's blood to make it far sharper and lighter than normal Valyrian steel. She also discovered that he would use his katana and wakizashi in closer encounters, as his other sword allowed him to have greater reach.

As for Rhaenys, she never thought that she would be in battle, so she didn't have armor. Instead, she borrowed a mail shirt and leather trousers to over her riding leathers along with steel cuisses and vambraces to protect her arms and legs. She only had two daggers strapped to each side of her waist, intending to learn the sword after tonight.

"We have flown our dragons during the day, but we're taking them out in the night this time. The good thing is that we have a full moon now, so we'll have moonlight to use to see each of the ironborn ship," Aegon started. "We have four dragons, so we should approach the ironborn fleet from all four corners. If you have a chance to burn the ships, take it."

"_Also_," Jaenyx stepped in. "_Our dragons may be able deflect arrows and other types of small projectile weapons, but we could still get thrown off our dragons if enough force was applied on them. So hold onto your dragons tightly and try not to do anything risky. This is our first battle as dragonriders, so your first priority is to be safe._"

"What could I do?" Orys asked.

"Brother, in case the ironborn land parties on our shores, I can trust that you will be able to repel them with your might alone. Also, protect anyone is caught out in the open."

"_Work with Ragaemor, Orys_," Jaenyx interjected. "_He will be of great help to you in the fight to come._"

Orys nodded. "All right, Jaenyx."

Jaenyx took out his dragonhorn and blew it. Rhaenys discovered that while the dragonhorn may have given him temporary control of the other dragons, the effects were akin to moths attracted to light. It would work, and then the spells wore off after a while. So the dragonhorn had its limits.

All four dragons landed in the courtyard, which could barely fit all of them. Still, that didn't stop Aegon, Visenya, Rhaenys, and Jaenyx from mounting them. Before they did, Aegon pulled Rhaenys into a deep kiss. "Be safe, Rhae. I can't bear the thought of losing you."

Rhaenys cupped his cheek. "Don't worry about me, Egg. I spend more time riding Meraxes than you and Vis ride Balerion and Vhagar. We should be fine."

With that, the four dragons took off from the courtyard and circled above the island, with Rhaenys looking upon the ironborn ships nearing the island.

—

Rhaenys took her time flying above the enemy fleet, counting at least forty vessels. Aegon told her that an ironborn longboat could expect to carry one hundred warriors maximum, meaning that there were at least four thousand ironborn sailing towards them. Had this been any other castle possessing at least two thousand men, they would have been in big trouble. However, Dragonstone was an imposing fortress, meaning that any army would be pressed to assault the walls. Also, they had dragons, creatures that were known for incinerating hundreds within a span of mere moments.

However, unlike Jaenyx and Visenya being confident in their capabilities, Rhaenys was more apprehensive. She had never been in battle and had no serious training with a sword. She learned how to shoot a bow and killed a stag one time, but that was it. She wasn't even that good of an archer, so she didn't really practice with the bow. Aegon, Orys, Jaenyx, and Visenya could all defend themselves while she was not so sure. She did enjoy riding Meraxes more than her siblings and good-brother, so she knew how to maneuver her dragon and when not to overexert her mount.

Aegon signalled for the four of them to circle above the fleet and avoid flying directly into the moon, as that would make them easy targets for archers. The plan was to strike from the north, south, east, and west with their dragons, with all of them releasing a stream of dragonfire and moving back up before anyone could shoot back at them. While their dragons had hunted for fish and for game on land, this would be their first time in battle, so they should not push them so far.

Rhaenys got the east, directly in front of Dragonstone. Since she had more experience riding her dragon, she would dive down and release dragonfire stream right in front of the ironborn's vanguard. They would not get too close to the sea's surface, as that would make it easy for them to be targeted by archers while the lower altitude would make dragons less maneuverable. The dragons would release their fires above the ironborn ship's mast while their bellies would protect their riders from any arrows shot at them.

Looking in front of her, Rhaenys saw Aegon squeeze his fist at Jaenyx, the signal for him to begin his attack run even with the moonlight making it barely visible. Jaenyx attacked the fleet to its south, Rhaenys and others seeing Cloudwynd pick up speed as she descended rapidly. Roaring at the last moment while avoiding a direct approach from the moon, Rhaenys saw Cloudwynd release her flames, the stream cutting through a dozen ships and brightening the rest of the Blackwater Bay as her fire burned a brighter blue than the sea before ascending back up.

Next, Aegon signalled Visenya to begin her attack run. She and Vhagar climbed above the circle before nosing down. Taking the west, Vhagar would burn through the rearguard and essentially cut the rest of the ironborn off from escape. Soon enough, her orange flames danced with Cloudwynd's blue as more ships burned. Like Cloudwynd, Vhagar flew above the ships' mast before climbing back up.

Aegon signalled to Rhaenys that he'll attack next, striking at the ironborn's left flank from the north and essentially boxing them in. She would deliver the killing blow at their vanguard from the east, ensuring that no ironborn would reach Dragonstone. She watched as her husband dove down on Balerion, his mount's massive form making it seem that he dove slower. However, one would regret the moment they underestimated Balerion's power, as his black flames mixed with Vhagar's and Cloudwynd's and disintegrating even more vessels into nothingness.

Such was a… beautiful sight for Rhaenys. She reveled whenever Meraxes released her yellow flames, whether at game or fish. But to see all of their dragons' flames mixed into a concoction of many colors was something she would not forget anytime soon. It proved to her just how remarkable dragons were. Any thoughts about this being the first time she'll take lives were willed away, as she saw Balerion ascend back into the air and urged Meraxes down.

Rhaenys held tight to Meraxes' spines, the wind and cold of the night air blowing against her face. She dived before on Meraxes, but she never aimed at something. The flames of the three other dragons burned bright across the water, illuminating the bay with the inferno consuming the ships carrying the banners of House Hoare. She nudged Meraxes to level slightly out of the dive in order for her to see the bows of ships better.

However, Rhaenys did not notice how lower Meraxes got compared to the other dragons. She also failed to see how the dragonfire that burned on the water essentially brightened the Blackwater Bay for miles around, with those as far as Gulltown professing to have seen the flames years later. As she got closer to the ships, she saw the bows that were drawn and heard "NOCK" too late. Arrows flew at Meraxes and past her, but Meraxes' scales held true and deflected them. But Rhaenys had to duck, as the arrows came loose towards her.

Regaining her bearing just at the right moment, Rhaenys saw the bow of the lead ship. Taking a deep breath, she yelled, "DRACARYS!" Meraxes released a stream of yellow fire from her mouth, tearing apart the lead ship as well three more behind it. But, she climbed too late, as Meraxes flew through the orange flames left by Vhagar and the smoke made her shield her eyes. She did not notice Meraxes turning to the right and back towards the ironborn fleet, or what was left of it.

At that moment, the arrow fire got thicker than the last time, as the ironborn were reacting better and used the flames to aim at their target. Rhaenys rubbed her eyes from the smoke and blinked her eyes to clear her vision. However, a stray arrow struck her arm and her thigh, two shots that were lucky to find its mark even if they failed in their intention to kill its prey. Pain shot through her, as she saw the arrows had pierced her mail sleeve and leather trousers. Rubbing her eyes had left only one arm on Meraxes' spines, with the arrows to her free arm and thigh making her lose her hold. She just missed grabbing the other spine with her hand before she lost traction and fell off Meraxes.

Rhaenys saw the dark sea grow closer as she dropped hopelessly to its depths. She did not have to wait to feel the sea's cold embrace, as she was close enough for the archers to shoot at her. Any higher would have killed. She sank deeper into the abyss, as she struggled to go back to the surface. The arrows snapped upon impact with the sea while her flailing in the water only made the shafts tear further into her muscles.

Rhaenys knew how to swim, but she never swam at night and with two arrows stuck into her body. Eventually, her flailing abated as she saw her vision slowly go black and the light of the flames still burning on the water fading away. The coldness of the water slowed down her blood flow while more water flowed into her airways. The blood seeping out of her wounds spread into a mist-like form around her while her body jerked from a lack of air.

Everything went to black as she felt a presence grab at her and made her spent form ascend back to the surface.

**Ooooh, boy... first blood has been spilled and there is no turning back from this. The ironborn will see know first hand the consequences of attacking the dragons, and the sheer stupidity of their attempted reaving. For the dragon attack, I had to look at videos and read up on how close air support aircraft make their runs, because that's what dragons are in this universe. I see the dragons as the ASOIAF version of the A-10 Warthog, the greatest CAS aircraft in the world (who told the Pentagon that the F-35 was a great idea, as that costed billions of dollars and little to show for it, while throwing the Warthog, proven to take so much punishment and fly its pilot back to base?) **

**And no, Rhaenys will not die. However, I never intended for her first battle experience to be a smooth one. As a newbie, she was likely to make serious and careless mistakes and that's probably what got her killed in Dorne. Her near-death experience will shake her to her core, but she'll be better for it as she got a taste of what battle is. And she'll be more careful from now on. Other near-death experiences will happen to our other characters. Hopefully, I wrote this one well. **

**For the two wild dragons at the Dragonmont, histories of the Dance of Dragons listed three, one of which was Sheepstealer (born while King Jaehaerys I lived and tamed by Nettles). The other two were Cannibal and Grey Ghost, which I will use here. Now, the histories say that Cannibal was born early in the reign of Jaehaerys I, but was considerably older than Sheepstealer. However, I decided to make this older than history recorded since it didn't know how old Cannibal was, so what the hell? These two will be the new additions to the dragonlords' arsenal, but it will be a while before they get riders. Hopefully, this works for you, as I thought about including more dragons besides the dragon eggs they will lay since their inclusion is parallel to Jaenyx's and his people's arrival. **

**Really appreciate the feedback I continue to receive, especially from Longclaw 1-6 and osterreicher97. It only took ten chapters, but the start of the Conquest has come.**

**Next, we have Visenya dealing with the aftermath of the ironborn's attack and the start of the dragons' retaliation.**


	12. Visenya III

VISENYA III

_No, no, no! You're flying too low, Rhae! _Visenya flew back above the burning remains of the ironborn fleet and returned to circling in the air atop Vhagar just in time to see Balerion take out more ships than Vhagar and Cloudwynd combined. She was confident that Rhaenys knew what to do and Meraxes' flames would punch through the front of the fleet, effectively blunting the ironborn's attack. After all, she was the most experienced dragonrider out of them all and knew how to take full advantage of Meraxes' capabilities.

While Visenya never been in battle before like Aegon, Orys, and Rhaenys, she worried about Rhaenys more because she never received any combat training and only barely knew how to handle the bow. Like Aegon and Jaenyx, she knew better than to flew Vhagar low enough for any ironborn archers to shoot at her because her training emphasized not allowing your opponent to get close enough to strike at you. Rhaenys did not know that and she flew close enough for the arrows to fly.

Worry turned to horror as Visenya saw Rhaenys fall into the Blackwater Bay from Meraxes, her dragon roaring in distress at her rider's plight. She knew that some of the arrows must have made her lose her grip on Meraxes and that Rhaenys never swam at night before, the darkness of the water most definitely causing panic to her sister and increasing her chances of drowning.

Visenya had Vhagar dive down to where she saw Rhaenys fall, not caring of the other ironborn ships still afloat on the Blackwater Bay. _If she dies, Egg's heart will shatter and I will never forgive myself for not protecting her_. She leveled out of the dive just low enough for Vhagar's feet to slide along the Bay's surface.

"_Girl, fly back to Dragonstone and help Balerion and Cloudwynd! I need to save my sister!_" Before Vhagar could protest, Visenya let go of her spines and let the air blowing against her to slide her off her back into the waters below. The cold of the Blackwater Bay slammed against her skin and through the dragon coat, the piercing shocks of the sea able to make any mere mortal go limp after a moment. However, the dragonblood in her veins kept Visenya warm as she got her bearings in the pitch black underwater. Holding her breath and looking around, she saw a red mist to slight right, no doubt blood and where Rhaenys was sinking further into the depths.

Visenya frantically swam towards the mist, which grew thick thicker as she got closer. Then, she saw her sister's still form, her eyes closed and arrows embedded her arm and thigh as blood flowed out of them. After what seemed like forever, she reached her sister before she could sink beyond her reach and pulled her up with all her might back to the surface.

Visenya took a deep inhale as her head broke back through the surface, her left arm around Rhaenys' limp body as she struggled to swim back to Dragonstone's shores with her free arm. Like the boys and Rhaenys, she knew how to swim, but she never swam at night and while trying to get someone back to shore. She treaded water and struggled to remain afloat as she used all of the strength she could muster to inch back to their home.

_Come on, Rhae! We can make it! Don't you fucking die on me! _But her right arm was tiring even though the waters were calm that night. The loud crackles of the dragonflames and the dying screams of the ironborn added to the chaos around her and increased her panic, making Visenya swim faster but in quicker and smaller strokes. She felt her heart pumping faster and harder than before, but she felt exhaustion slowly overtake her. Eventually, her strokes got weaker and slower while they were both still a distance away from Dragonstone.

_No, no! Must… continue…. _Visenya had to keep trying to reach their home, but she felt her arms slowly give out and her legs ache from kicking in the water. She kept her left arm tight around Rhaenys, but it became much more difficult to keep her head afloat in an attempt to get her breathing again. It was becoming too much for Visenya.

_Please…. Someone…. Help…. _Were her thoughts as her treads in the water became mere glides and her grip on Rhaenys became much weaker. She couldn't go on and they would both drown in the waters around their home. There was nothing more shameful than a dragon dying in the sea, fire being smothered by water. It was what the Rhoynish tried to do all those centuries ago and it would seem that the Blackwater Bay would succeed where they failed.

Before they both sunk into the depths, Visenya looked to her right and saw ships moving towards them, carrying the banners of House Velaryon and Tarareon. Hope flooding her being and mustering her last remaining bit of strength, she grunted as she treaded the waters of the Bay with her strained right arm. _Rhaenys, stay with me! Cousin Daemon is coming!_

The lead Velaryon ship soon reached the two sisters and several hands frantically pulled them onto the safety of the ship, with their cousin Daemon helping with Rhaenys. Instead of asking questions, Daemon and the crew wasted no time to get Visenya and Rhaenys warm.

Catching her breath, Visenya felt herself over and was surprised to see her dragon coat dry and only her face, hands, and hair drenched in seawater. While flying over the ironborn fleet, she felt an arrow hit her side, but saw the arrowhead become blunt before the shaft fell into the fires below. Proof of the dragon coat's protective abilities. _I'm going to fuck Jae senseless after this. I am never taking this off after tonight._

Visenya's thoughts shifted to Rhaenys, whose inert form was being draped by warm blankets while Daemon got a brazier next to her. She took off her blankets and crawled towards her sister. As a sailor, Daemon knew what to do whenever one of his crew members were pulled out of the water after almost drowning. He was moving quickly to prevent her from going into shock, as was common with sailors that took on too much water. Warming with the brazier, he was pushing against her abdomen in an attempt to push the water out of her, allowing the body to breathe again. He felt a weak pulse on Rhaenys' neck, but he was acting frantically as the pulse was getting weaker by the second.

Pushing Daemon aside, Visenya remembered something that Jaemon Leniar, cousin to Taygor, taught her. One effective way to save someone before the body suffocated from drowning was to force air into the body and the only way to do that was to put mouth against mouth. She promptly put her mouth against Rhaenys', breathing into it before she pushed against her abdomen. _If I don't save her, Egg will never forgive me and who would blame him?_

Visenya repeated this a few times, breathing into her mouth and pushing against her abdomen. After seeing Rhaenys still unconscious, she slammed her fist into her chest. She pounded her fist against Rhaenys' heart as hard as she could, not caring if it caused a few bruises as she did as long as she would see her sister's eyes fly open. _Please, Rhae! Get up, Rhae!_

As she felt Daemon try to pull her off of Rhaenys, Visenya kept pounding. Just as she pulled off, she saw Rhaenys cough. _She's alive!_ Pushing Daemon aside, she returned to her sister's side and grasped her left shoulder and forehead.

"Easy, Rhae. Easy," Visenya stroked Rhaenys' forehead as she placed her in her lap. Seeing Rhaenys cough out more water, relief flowed through her as Visenya saw her sister's eyes flicker open. "You're going to be alright, Rhae," Visenya said as she broke down.

Rhaenys grunted. "Vis? Is that you?" She slowly put her arm and covered Visenya's cheek. "Did you save me?"

Visenya nodded. "I almost lost you, Rhae."

Although still weak from the blood loss, Rhaenys put her arm around Visenya's neck and dug her head into her chest, reassuring her that she was alive. Trying to be careful, Visenya put her arms around her sister's damp body as their cousin's ship came closer to Dragonstone.

* * *

Visenya stood besides Rhaenys' bed, looking upon Aegon as he and their mother held her hands while Jaenyx put his arms around herself. Taygor Leniar was working on getting the arrows out of her arm and thigh, a straightforward process had it not been for the snapped shafts and how deep they were embedded into her muscles.

Visenya saw Taygor Leniar take out his tools before moving towards the other sides of Rhaenys' pierced arm and thigh. He had the decency to ask Aegon and their mother if he could pull up Rhaenys' skit, as he knew that such a motion could easily be seen as violating her virtue. He then began to make an incision to the other sides of her arm and thigh.

"_What are you doing_?" Visenya asked Taygor while still being held by Jaenyx.

"_The arrows are deep within her flesh, Lady Visenya_," Taygor kept his focus at Rhaenys' wounds. "_If I try to pull them out from where they entered, it would only cause more damage to the muscles. So, the only way to prevent more damage to her limbs is to bring them out from the other side_."

"_Wouldn't that cause more damage to her skin, Taygor_?"

"_This is the fastest way to get the arrowheads out. If I wait any longer, her wounds will get infected and there will be nothing we could do when that happens. Time is not on our side in this situation_," Taygor began making his first incision.

"Just do what you need to do to save my daughter," their mother shook while still holding Rhaenys' hand.

"_All right, this will hurt, Lady Rhaenys_," Taygor put a rag in her mouth and had Aegon hold it. "_Just hold on and everything will be fine_." As he cut into her arm, Rhaenys screamed, which was fortunately muffled by the rag. He cut slowly and steadily to prevent more damage than was inflicted. After the cut was down, he pulled his forceps from the bowl of arakju that Jaenyx poured to disinfect the metal. As the forceps entered her flesh and grabbed the arrowhead, Rhaenys' screams through the rag became louder. "_This is the hard part. Stay with me_," Taygor continued as he slowly pulled the arrowhead out from the other side. With a quick jerk, the arrowhead was taken out and dumped onto the small table next to the bed.

Taygor did the same thing with her thigh, with Rhaenys' screams becoming even louder as the forceps had to go through more flesh than the arms. However, the arrowhead was also taken out and dumped onto the small table. Grabbing the bottle of arakju that Jaenyx provided, he poured a generous amount onto her wounds, causing her to wince and squeeze both Aegon's and their mother's hands tighter, before he finally sewed her wound and wrapped them up in gauze.

"_She's going to be alright_," Taygor smiled at everyone in the room. "_You're going to be alright, my lady. You are very brave_."

Sighs of relief filled the chambers. Their mother reached toward Taygor and gave him a big kiss on his cheek in thanks while Aegon and Orys gave him a strong hug. Jaenyx nodded his thanks to his cousin while Visenya kissed him on the forehead before both went towards Rhaenys.

"Thank you, Vis," Rhaenys said softly. "You saved me."

"You're my sister, Rhae," Visenya replied with a tear in her eye. "Of course I would do that."

"What about the ironborn? Did we beat them?" Rhaenys asked.

"We did," Aegon answered while stroking her hand. "After our dragons burned them, cousin Daemon and Maerys Tarareon cleaned up what was left. We even captured one of their captains."

"What are we going to do with him?" Rhaenys asked, but everyone could see a rare fire emerging in her eyes.

"Fire and blood, Rhae," Visenya assured. "We'll show these ironborn fuckers just how much of a mistake they made in attacking us."

"Before we do that," their mother spoke up. "Your father wants us all to go to the hall and discuss our next action regarding the ironborn. Those fuckers will be foolish to think that we won't respond to this." All of them nodded in agreement while seeing the rage in their mother's eyes.

All of them hugged Rhaenys, with Aegon promising to be back at her side, before Taygor put three drops of nightshade into her mouth. Seeing her fall into a deep sleep, the family went to the hall, where they saw their father seated on his metal throne the Lords Velaryon, Celtigar, Sunglass and the heads of the Tarareons, Leniars, and Rahitheons on the floor. Their mother took her place next to their father while Aegon and Orys stood to the right and Visenya and Jaenyx to the left. Save for their father and mother, all were dressed in battle armor.

"My lords," their father started. "Thank you for coming on such short notice. I would begin by saying the reasons why I summoned you all here, but my messages and the burning remains of the ironborn right next to this island make it pointless. I have no doubt that you know why you're all here. This is an unprovoked attack on us, so we must discuss our next course of action."

Visenya would've groaned at her father's usual caution, but she could sense that their father knew what to do and that the meeting was merely a formality. _It better be_.

"My lord," the Sunglass lord spoke. "It is true that the ironborn launched an unprovoked attack on your home, but we must exercise caution. We have no evidence to support that Black Harren had sanctioned this assault, only that Darvin Hoare is the most likely perpetrator. I would suggest opening a line of communication with Harrenhal and request recompense from the ironborn."

"FUCK THAT, SUNGLASS!" Daemon Velaryon shouted. "You were so willing to go after our liege's daughter, but now when he has been attacked, you support careful action? I had no idea that you were this craven!"

The Sunglass lord drew his sword in anger, prompting their father to intervene. "That's enough, Lord Daemon! And you, Lord Sunglass, control yourself or you will be thrown out like the last time." The Sunglass lord stood down and sheathed his sword. "And no, I will not initiate a dialogue with Black Harren. Even if he didn't sanction this attack, the fact that his son did either means he knew about it or cannot control his own family. Regardless, we will not communicate with him. I said 'course of action', and talking is not one of them." The Sunglass lord nodded begrudgingly.

"Lord Targaryen," Crispian Celtigar stepped forward. "If action is what you seek, then we must land our troops on Westeros. Blood must be met with blood, and I am sure that even Lady Rhaenys will not protest if we responded with force."

"Hear, hear!" Aegon shouted, relief and anger of his sister-wife's maiming evident on his face.

"But what can we do against thirty-thousand soldiers, Lord Celtigar?" the Sunglass lord called out. "We only have three thousand men and less ships than the ironborn can muster. We have no cavalry and we have no siege equipment."

"We have dragons, Lord Sunglass," Orys pointed out. Everyone could see the eagerness for battle on his face.

"And you've seen what they've done," Visenya jumped in. "If four dragons can take out forty ships in a matter of moments, imagine what they could against an army."

"What of the Storm King, my lord? Will you go after him also based on unsupported reports of your good-son's man going missing there?"

Visenya wanted to draw Dark Sister and cut his throat, growing tired of his caution. "That boatman confessed to spying for the Storm King, meaning that he sees us as weak. We cannot let this go unanswered."

"My lands, my home is next to the Storm King's domains. We move against him, I will not be able to protect my lands and family with a mere three hundred swords. How can you protect us then?"

Their father also began to grow tired. "As our vassals, we have an obligation to protect you. Rest assured, the dragons and my troops will give you the protection you need against the Storm King."

"With respect, my lord, that is not good enough."

Aegon put his hand on Blackfyre, angered at the Sunglass' insinuation. "Are you saying that you won't support your liege in our retaliation against our enemies?"

"You have an island, Lord Aegon. The Velaryons and Celtigars can protect you, but who will protect us? This is folly!"

Their father slammed his hand down on the arm rest. "You are trying my patience, Lord Sunglass. I will ask you very clearly. Will you or will you not support us in this?"

The Sunglass lord took a moment, before shaking his head. "I cannot go with you on this, my lord. You will fight against two kings, more powerful than you, and my family will be destroyed. I will not be taken down by you dragonspawn."

_That's it!_ The frustrations with the Sunglass' boiled over, as Visenya stepped forward and struck the lord hard in his face. As he fell to the floor stunned, the guards seized his heir and the others that came with him, disarming them before they could react.

Their father's mouth was wide open, shocked at how reckless Visenya was. But she saw Aegon, Orys, and Jaenyx less bothered by it. She then saw her father recover from his shock. As his vassal openly defied him, there was no other way to prevent what had just happened. His insult only made things worse for him.

"Lord Sunglass," their father pointed to his heir. "You only have two choices now: you either stand with us and save your father or he dies here right now."

"You can't do that!" the heir shouted. "That violates guest rights."

"Your father made an unwise decision by insulting the family of his liege. Also, if you had noticed, I did not give you bread and salt and you did not ask for it. So, no one is violating anything here."

The heir looked around the hall for support, but only saw cold looks aimed at him. Seeing no other choice, he pushed the guard off of him and bent the knee. "I reaffirm House Sunglass' loyalty to Dragonstone and pledge our banners to your cause, Lord Targaryen."

"Excellent," their father nodded, pleased with the heir acting smart for once. "Confine the former Lord Sunglass to the dungeon and the current Lord Sunglass will remain in our hall." The guards nodded before dragging the elderly lord to the depths of Dragonstone. Visenya shot the heir a death glare before going back to her place next to Jaenyx.

"So, are all in favor of striking back against Black Harren and the Arrogant king?" He received a collective nod from those present, even the younger Lord Sunglass with reluctance. "Good. We will discuss further details on the morrow, but consult with my son and heir Aegon, my other son Orys, my daughter Visenya, and my good-son Jaenyx Belaerys."

Visenya looked up to their father, her eyebrows raised. _What are you doing there_?

"My lords, I believe it is time to admit that the current circumstances are beyond my capabilities. War is a matter that will always remain unprecedented, but more so for my case. While I will remain Lord of Dragonstone, my children will take over all efforts from here on out until our enemies are crushed. Could I trust all of you to give your support to them as you had given to me?"

Surprise filled the hall, all not expecting their liege to delegate his responsibilities to his heir so soon after the start of a crisis. Many would have found this the action of a weak man, but all of them knew their liege lord well enough to know that he would not make such a decision lightly. They were also relieved that he would remain their lord instead of stepping down. Slowly, all nodded in support of their liege's decision, with the Sunglass lord again nodding reluctantly. _We need to keep a closer eye on him from now on._

"Why did you do that, father?" Aegon asked as they exited the hall.

"It was the truth, Egg," their father shrugged. "War is not an area I'm familiar with."

"But you're still the Lord of Dragonstone. You have to lead us!"

Their father smiled. "No. This, I cannot be of much help. You're my heir, Egg, and it's time that you put all that you have learned to practice. Get out of the training yard and become the warrior you dreamed of becoming for so long. I say the same to you, Orys." Their father turned to their older brother. "Help your brother as you have done for so many years."

"I will, father." While most bastard sons will be embittered at not being in line to inherit lands, Orys was loyal to a fault to their family. Despite being ten years older than Aegon, Orys deferred to him and acknowledged as the better leader of the both of them.

"_Jaenyx_," their father turned to Visenya's husband. "_I trust that you will honor your alliance and help us in our present course? I can assure that you will have a position equal to Aegon in what follows._"

"_I know, Father. And it was my people that were wronged. I must fight for them_," Jaenyx responded.

Their father hugged all of them before retiring with their mother. After hugging Aegon, Orys, and their mother, Visenya and Jaenyx made their way to the dungeons before they would be able to retire to their chambers. Quenton Qoherys and Arata Haru, Konno Haru's eldest son, were overseeing the captured ironborn and were given the responsibility of interrogating them. Hands clasped with each other, they entered the lower levels of the castle and into the dark and dampness of the dungeons.

Passing by the cell where the elder Sunglass was kept, they both approached the main cell, where there was a table, chairs, and a chained ironborn captain, one named Curtass Drumm, having his head slammed against the wood by Quenton. As the only captain to have been pulled from the water alive, he was the highest ranking captive they had. To his credit, he didn't cry in pain and kept his composure.

Arata Haru saw them approach and stood up, with Quenton stopping his bashing. "Rhaenys ha daijou desuka (_Is Lady Rhaenys all right_)?" he asked with concern.

"Hai, Arata-kun," Jaenyx replied. "Kanojo ha daijou desu (_She will be alright_)." Visenya saw Jaenyx give a death glare to the ironborn captain. "Kono kuso kara ka o mi tsu ke ta (_What did you find out from this piece of shit_)?"

"Arera ha ouji ni ga shima ni kuru mae dea tte mo, watashitachi o kougeki shi taka tsu ta. Arera ha doragon ni shuu wa reru toha shi wa naka tsu ta. (_They wanted to attack us even before the prince came to the island. They did not expect to be attacked by dragons_)," Haru replied with a dark grin. "Kare ha kyou tte ru (_He's a crazy one_)."

"Ironborn no su be te ga ari masu, Arata-kun (_All of the ironborn are, Arata_)," Visenya spoke in nihongo. She tried her best to learn, finding it a tongue as interesting as High Valyrian, and she had a long way to go before she could speak it well. But by this point, she could understand it thanks to Jaenyx.

"Watashitachi ha kare ni mizu o chuu gi mashouka (_Shall we pour water on him_)?" Haru asked while pointing to the two buckets of water and a brown rag on the table."

Jaenyx nodded while a wicked grin grew on his face. "Kono yarou ga dorudake mizu ga suki ka mi te miyo u. (_Let's see how much this bastard likes water_)."

Arata Haru nodded approvingly. "Ironborn bon ha oboreru no ga suki dato ki i ta. Shi ha kare ga oyu ga suki gan tte i masu. (_I heard that the ironborn like to be drowned. I hope he likes boiled water_).

"Quenton," Visenya called out, having understood what they said. "Hold our guest down." She saw Jaenyx go for one of the buckets, steam escaping from the water's surface.

Jaenyx stared at the ironborn captain. "I heard you ironborn loved to be drowned, if what you worship is any indication." The ironborn stared back in defiance while blood dripped from his forehead. "Let's see how well you drown in warmer water." Leaning his chair back, he put the rag on the ironborn's face and poured the steaming water onto his face.

Visenya learned from Jaenyx that this practice was an ancient Valyrian torture tactic used to mock the Rhoynar's affinity for water. It was first used during the War of Three Princes after Prince Yandry of Sarhoy was captured, who was a river-farer by heart. When all methods did not work, his Valyrian captors devised a way to turn his love for the water against him. After many times of him experiencing what it felt like to drown, Prince Yandry broke and was afraid of water for the rest of his life.

Visenya watched as the ironborn screamed upon the hot water burning his skin. Jaenyx poured as slowly as he could to make the pain last longer and the water to flow to the rest of the body. Finishing the bucket, Jaenyx readjusted his chair and tore off the rag. The ironborn's face was burnt red, his skin peeling and blisters already forming. Both of his eyes were blood red and steam coming out of his hair.

Jaenyx looked him over before sitting across him. "Had enough, ironborn?"

"What do you want?" the ironborn captain was now submissive, the hot water burning through his previous steel form.

"I will ask the most important question. Did Black Harren know you were going to attack us?" The ironborn hesitated, glancing at the other bucket of hot water. "I would choose my words very carefully. If the hot water is not enough to convince you, perhaps dragonfire can change your mind."

The ironborn shook his head hard. "No, not that. Please."

"Then start talking."

The ironborn sighed. "The king didn't know that Prince Darvin would do this. However, after he found out what he did to your man, he couldn't do anything. Everyone knows that the riverlords hate him, especially with the construction of his massive keep. If word got out that he couldn't control his own son, the lords under him would start to get ideas. One thought after another would lead to rebellion, so he did nothing."

"But surely," Visenya leaned forward. "Now, your king knows there's no turning back from this, after his son started it."

The ironborn captain chuckled darkly. "It doesn't matter who started it. Ironborn blood has been spilled and there's coin to be made off of Valyrian steel forging. I hope you're ready to fight."

"Oh, we will," Visenya gave her own dark grin. "But you made a mistake after almost killing our sister. Now we will take pleasure in burning all of you until there is nothing but ashes in your wake."

The ironborn captain straightened up in defiance. "What is dead may never die, but rises-", but before he could finish, Arata drew his sword and decapitated him. His lifeless fell to the ground after realizing that its head was gone.

"Shi ha ano de tara me ni tsukare tei ta (_I was getting tired of his bullshit_)," Arata shrugged as he sheathed his sword.

Jaenyx nodded nonchalantly. "Shinpai nai. Shi hato nika ku tsui watsu ta (_No worries. I was done anyway_)."

Visenya watched everything, and saw Jaenyx enter his natural environment. He may have been a lord in the natural sense and knew how to command others, but she saw him become much more comfortable in these settings. He knew how to break people, knew how to get them talking, knew how to get what he wanted. Like Aegon, he was persistent and would do anything to accomplish his goals. However, that was where they diverged.

Aegon had standards and there were lines that he would not cross. He would not get squeamish at the sight of blood and had no difficulty in taking a life, but he had displayed remorse whenever he had to end a breathing thing and reflected upon it. For Jaenyx, Visenya saw him as cold, remorseless, and had no compunction to doing what was needed to get his tasks done. Him growing up without the barriers of Westerosi society only made his willingness to commit unpleasant acts know no bounds. She wondered what else he would've done had the ironborn not have folded so quickly.

Unlike Aegon and even Rhaenys, Visenya wasn't bothered by his seemingly remorseless demeanor. In the past year, she knew him better and saw that he wasn't callous just for the sake of it. He had a harsher upbringing and a teacher that painfully emphasized how merciless the world could be, which could sometimes lead to his actions being extreme. His closeness with Rhaenys and even his respectfulness towards Orys showed to Visenya that he did have warmth in his heart, but it was a long time since he had anyone to really be close with. _He has me, and Rhae, and the rest of us_.

As much as she loved Aegon, Rhaenys, and Orys, Visenya saw them as too restricted within the rules of the society they grew up in. Jaenyx remarked to her something that Master Haru said, "For those that made up the rules, there are no rules." She couldn't have agreed with that statement more, especially with how hypocritical the Faith's septons were and she lost track of how many knights she had to kill when they wanted to force their hands on her. That was why she stuck with her husband, as he understood how the world was and had adjusted his mind accordingly, just like herself after experiencing isolation for being a strong and intelligent woman. _If only Egg, Rhae, and Orys understood what the world really was_.

Visenya walked up with Jaenyx back to their chambers, and only after the door was closed that she let out a heavy exhale that she didn't know was there. The stresses of the night and everything that followed made her lean towards the wall, making almost disoriented. Jaenyx went to her side, concern evident his face.

"_You alright, Vis_?" She nodded. "_We have an important day tomorrow, so we should rest now_."

Visenya shook her head. "_Not yet_," her voice slightly cracked. "_I almost lost Rhae tonight_."

"_All of us almost did_," Jaenyx grabbed Visenya's face in his hands. "_But she's alive, thanks to you. And Lord Velaryon. We will kill those that tried to take her from us_."

Visenya nodded in affirmation. "_Kessa. We will bring fire and blood on them_."

Jaenyx gave her kiss to comfort her, which only got Visenya confused as to how short it was. "_Kiss me again_." Visenya wanted more. Jaenyx gave her a deeper kiss, prompting her to pull him more against her. _I need him. I said that I would fuck him senseless_.

Pushing him away, Visenya gave him a lustful gaze before she started to undo his cuirass and rip off his tunic. "_I almost lost my sister today, so make me forget and please your wife_."

"_We're both very tired from battle. Shouldn't we rest_?" Jaenyx half-heartedly asked, not going to say no to his wife wanting him.

"_No, fuck that. I want you now! Make me forget my worries, my husband_." Visenya ran her hands against Jaenyx's defined torso and pulled down his breeches, exposing his bare self to her wanting eyes. Finally getting the clue, Jaenyx turned her around and started to unlace her dragon coat. "_Be gentle, Jae. I don't want you ripping up my wedding gift just as you have done with the other dresses_."

"_With how you look underneath, I don't know if I could_," Jaenyx japed before yanking down the coat as the Valyrian steel plates clattered to the floor. Visenya turned around and jumped in his arms while giving him a deep kiss, their naked selves strongly grasping each other.

Both were led to the bed, with Jaenyx wasting no time in getting his member inside her entrance and slamming into her. Visenya's moans filled the chambers as pleasure replaced worry and fear for her sister's life. "_Harder, Jae! Fuck me harder!_" she ordered. Jaenyx complied and pushed into her with a furious pace, both of them reaching the brink. At many intense thrusts, Visenya felt her husband's seed burst into her core before he collapsed onto her.

"_Can I ask you to do something, Jae_?"

"_Anything, Vis_," he muttered while still buried in her hair.

"_Can you make another dragon coat for Rhae_?" Jaenyx focused his eyes on her, confused by the request. "_She almost died today and I don't know…. what we'll do if she were to perish. She's our heart, Jae. Egg would never be the same and our mother will be torn to pieces if she had died tonight. Please protect her_."

Visenya decided to repay Jaenyx's moment of vulnerability with hers, as she felt tears leave her eyes and her voice cracking loudly. Jaenyx wiped the tears before nodding. "_Of course. I will have Aevor make another coat. I can't guarantee it'll be like yours, as it's one of a kind. But she'll be safe_."

Visenya smiled and gave him a kiss before she turned and laid on her chest. "_Should I get on all fours, Jae_?"

Jaenyx did not need to be told again, as he squeezed her breasts and fucked her from behind. This went on for at least a good few hours before the fatigue finally overtook them and Jae fell on her back.

The next morning, Visenya and Jaenyx helped each other dress in their armor. After consulting with their bannermen some more in the hall, Jaenyx led his men on Maerys' ships while the Celtigars and Sunglass troops who chose to fight boarded the Velaryons'. Visenya got on Vhagar after hugging their mother and father, promising to return to them alive, and flew from Dragonstone above the combined fleet. She was soon joined by Jaenyx on Cloudwynd and Aegon on Balerion. Rhaenys would join them a few days later on Meraxes after Taygor told her to rest.

Their destination: the mouth of the Blackwater Rush. _Westeros will know fire and blood_, were Visenya's final thoughts as the mainland came into view.

**And here, we see the dragons finally landing on Westeros. **

**Lot to cover in this chapter and I wasn't that heartless to have Rhaenys die so early, but this was necessary for her to learn so that she'll be careful the next time. While I will stick to the basic outline of how the Conquest occurred, I will be changing and adding events and battles in order to make the Conquest be a more... organic process. At this point, the dragons are only reacting, but the ironborn sure stirred up a storm and it doesn't matter if Harren the Black sanctioned it. The Storm King is also screwed and he'll know soon enough. **

**That Valyrian torture tactic... that is waterboarding, but I felt it was quite symbolic given the Rhoynish affinity to water. And this is the first time I put Japanese in this story. What do you all think? Were my translations correct or should I not include them in the future? Also, were the Sunglass' too easily let off? I do not intend for the heir to take this lying down. What do you think? **

**I apologize if this feels rushed, which I will fix. But I really wanted to get the Conquest kicked off and got impatient. **

**Next, we see the dragons start their first real moves against Westeros. **


	13. Aegon IV

**Holy cow! Over 100 people following and favoriting this story? All of you guys are just... Really thanks so much guys! **

AEGON IV

It had been a busy few weeks for the dragons upon their landing at the mouth of the Blackwater Rush. Discovering that the area was filled with hills and forests that were all defensible with some rearranging, the dragons set up camp in the valley between the three highest hills at the Rush's mouth. They then constructed wooden ramparts, twelve feet high and with twenty-foot high redoubts spaced in hundred yard intervals, that connected all three hills while Rahitheon engineers filled the northern valley between the easternmost and northernmost hills next to the Blackwater Bay with makeshift berths for the troops to be resupplied by ship from Dragonstone, Driftmark, and Claw Isle. They also dug a moat in front of the wooden ramparts ten feet wide and fifteen feet deep filled with water and a trench in front of the moat that was six feet wide and six feet deep. The trench was filled with wooden stakes to prevent a mass charge by enemy infantry while Celtigar and Tarareon archers, armed with arrows tipped with broadheads to be used against infantry and with long and narrow pyramidal bodkins to be used against their more armored opponents. They had to test the bodkins against spare armor provided by Dragonstone and Claw Isle, achieving penetration but not enough to be mortally dangerous for a knight. The archers were instructed to aim for the shoulders, neck, and head as the armor was weakest in those areas.

Aegon, Jaenyx, Orys, and Visenya put their tents on the highest of the three hills while Crispian Celtigar and Daemon Velaryon took the northernmost hill next to the Bay while Ragaemor Tarareon and Aevor Rahitheon took the westernmost hill. Their dragons rested within the ramparts, on the sides of the highest hill. Rhaenys joined them a few days later on Meraxes, having sufficiently recovered from her wounds, but carrying a harder expression on her face than before she almost drowned.

Aegon saw that Rhaenys still smiled, was pleasant with everyone, and continued to play music with Jaenyx. She had become much closer with Visenya after she saved her life, warming Aegon's heart since his sisters were generally distant with each other due to their different personalities. However, it was her eyes that got Aegon worried. Her smiles and agreeable manners masked a distress that only came when one came within reach of death's embrace. Aegon tried to talk to her to see how she was holding up, which she responded that she was fine. He would have accepted it had he not heard the waver in her voice, how quickly she switched the topic, and when she… disrobed in front of him when he persisted. Feeling his hands on her curves, tightening his hands around her plump ass, feeling her laugh in his mouth while he thrusted into her… _Rhae certainly knows how to get me quiet_.

Nevertheless, Aegon resolved to discuss the matter with Rhaenys, as he feared that she wasn't as strong as Jaenyx when it came to moving forward from a close brush with death. _I'm going to have to say no the next time she tries to… have me enter her_.

With their landing secure and fortified, the dragons sent out foraging parties to increase the supplies coming by ship. A week after they landed at the mouth of the Blackwater Rush, Rhaenys and Visenya flew north on Meraxes and Vhagar towards Rosby and Stokeworth to secure their northern approach against any response by Black Harren, along with 600 troops. Rosby surrendered without a fight to Rhaenys, no doubt due to being the pleasant one out of the group. Aegon heard that Rhaenys struck up a conversation with the Lord of Rosby and convinced him to yield after mentioning what the dragons had done to the Ironborn fleet in the Blackwater Bay. The same occurred with Stokeworth, with Visenya also mentioning the Ironborn fleet's burning. The Rosby and Stokeworth lords arrived at their citadel and bent the knee to the dragons after the dragons reconfirmed their titles and lands, bringing their total strength up to 5,500 troops. More importantly, they had a stable agricultural base separate of Dragonstone and horses for their cavalry.

Meanwhile, Jaenyx flew on Cloudwynd across the Blackwater Bay with a detachment of Velaryon and Tarareon vessels carrying 1000 troops towards Massey's Hook. Aegon and Jaenyx expected a serious fight from Houses Massey and Bar Emmon, both of whom were sworn to House Durrandon, and had thus taken mostly Tarareon soldiers to help him secure the peninsula. However, they too surrendered without a fight, with both lords bending the knee at their citadel and bringing another 1500 troops into their army. Within a few weeks of landing on Westeros, the dragons had secured much of the land surrounding the Blackwater Bay and greatly improved their position against Black Harren and the Arrogant king with a total army of 7000 troops.

However, a few days ago, the dragons received a distressing report from their scouts near Duskendale.

"My gods! The Duskendale and Maidenpool lords have declared for Black Harren and are marching 3000 troops along the shores of the Crackclaw Point to the Whispers, with 6000 ironborn and riverland troops joining them. They're going to attack Claw Isle," Aegon read the report.

Crispian Celtigar was naturally fearful. "Lord Aegon, I only have one hundred swords left at Claw Isle. We must protect them!"

"We will," Aegon reassured. "I can fly out on Balerion and block their approach with dragonfire."

"Egg," Orys pointed to the map. "Using dragonfire on the Point's forests is too risky, as we could easily start an inferno that could smoke out the families there and turning them against us. We're already fighting two powerful adversaries, so we cannot afford to add more against us."

"In addition," Lord Jon of Rosby spoke, having been offered a place in their war council by Aegon for bending the knee peacefully. "We have less troops than they do. We cannot split our forces without endangering our position in the Blackwater Bay. To do so would be to invite a larger response from either Black Harren or King Argilac."

"They're in marching formation, along the shores of the Point," Visenya traced her finger on the map. "They have restricted mobility and the forests will negate the numerical advantages that they have. If we were to land in front of their army, we could block them and use the narrowness of the terrain against them."

"_If we do land in front of them, it'll have to be within a day's march to Claw Isle_," Ragaemor Tarareon joined in while one of his servants translated to the common tongue. "_Our ships cannot move fast enough to meet the threat without cutting it very close. Even then, we would have insufficient time to set up proper positions_."

Aegon looked closely at the map again, trying to figure out a solution to their first major predicament. Duskendale and Maidenpool had to be secured to safeguard their western approach against the ironborn. Despite still being incomplete after over thirty years, Black Harren's fortress was located on the God's Eye and within striking distance of their citadel. If Duskendale and Maidenpool remained outside of their control, their enemies could roll them up, surround their position like a neck in a noose, and drive back into the sea. They couldn't use the dragons so close to their citadel without burning their own troops also.

Then, Aegon remembered something that Quenton Qoherys taught him: _if surrounded, attack_. He was confused by his words from that day, as he and three other sparring partners from their household guards circled him in the training yard. Aegon questioned on how he could attack with himself when he faced more than one opponent. Quenton explained to him that attacking when outnumbered is something that his opponents will not expect, as the natural response to defend yourself and wait for their combined onslaught. But if you attack, you control their responses and you have surprise and momentum on your side, if temporarily. The trick was to subdue or at least improve your odds in the few fleeting moments when you do go up against many opponents.

Aegon scanned the map of the Blackwater Bay, looking for something that would allow him and the troops to preempt their enemies. His eyes then focused on a town between Maidenpool and Duskendale next to the Bay, almost where the Crackclaw Point connected with the mainland. "Lord Rosby," he pointed to the feature. "Remind me of this town's name?"

"My lord, that is Rook's Rest, seat of House Staunton." _Oh, I remember them_. "Why do you ask?"

"Don't you see where this town is located?" Aegon pressed his finger down.

Jaenyx caught on. "_Rook's Rest is at a crossroads between Maidenpool, Duskendale, and the Crackclaw Point. Whoever controls that town will control all of the northern parts of the Blackwater Bay_."

"Exactly, Jae," Aegon nodded. "The enemy army is already far in the Crackclaw Point. If we were to land over there and set up positions behind them, they'll have to turn back. They won't expect us to do this."

"But they have 9,000 men, Lord Aegon," Lord Alyn of Stokeworth pointed out. "How can we fight against them with less than 7000 men?"

"Even if we do secure the town, Egg," Orys stared at the map. "Rook's Rest is surrounded by hills, with the highest north of the town. We could secure them, but they would be smarter than to attack soldiers on high ground. They'll just skirt past us and avoid a fight."

"We make them come to us."

"How?" Orys questioned.

Aegon was planning strategy for the first time, but he was no longer in the library or in the training yard. This was a real war and unlike the past, people would die if he made one misstep. Orys was right in that the enemy would know better than to attack a force located on the high ground and they couldn't risk using the dragons yet. No one in the council underestimated their power, but they needed to use it at the right moment for maximum damage. If they used it too often, eventually their enemies would adapt and learn how to counteract the dragons.

"_What if you don't take the hills of Rook's Rest?_" Jaenyx kept looking at the map.

"What do you mean, Jae?" Aegon was baffled.

"_It's true that you can only take a few thousand troops, and their best chance of survival is to get them on high ground. However, as Orys pointed out, they would know better than to attack you. So don't take the hills yet and instead remain at Rook's Rest._" Aegon waited for more, as did the rest of the council. "_I assume that this area is crawling with their spies. If word got to them that you holding position with, say 3,000 troops, and held them there long enough, the enemy will turn around and come to you while expecting an easy victory. Those kinds of expectations leads to overconfidence and leads to serious mistakes. Only after you see their mistakes do you take the hill and fight_."

Aegon absorbed it before nodding. "That could work, Jae. But we would need to move fast and we would strike hard."

"_Once you have them crowded and in the right position, unleash Balerion. They never seen a dragon act against an army, so let's use that to our advantage._"

The council looked upon the map before they gave their consent to the plan, while Ragaemor Tarareon and Visenya looked upon Jaenyx with pride.

"What would you do, Jae, while we're out in the field?" Aegon asked. With him marching out with the troops, he was unsure of his good-brother's actions in the meantime.

"_The enemy's focus will be on the north of the Blackwater Bay. However, while you and Orys would lead half of our troops against the enemy, the other half will stay here at the Rush's mouth. As for me, I'm taking Arata Haru and Ragaemor's son Rhaedar into the riverlands._"

"What? Why would you go there?"

"_We only know about the six thousand troops accompanying the Duskendale and Maidenpool lords, but that is only a portion of the ironborn's strength. We need more information regarding the ironborn's strength as well as the situation in the riverlands._"

"Why would we need to know?" Orys asked.

Jaenyx gave him an incredulous look before continuing. "_It's no secret that Black Harren is not loved in the Riverlands and the troops he is currently sending against us would no doubt take away from the troops that are keeping the riverlands under control. I am going there to assess the ironborn's true strength as well as anything else that could be used against Black Harren. It is better to find something that could break the enemy without fighting them in open battle._"

Aegon shook his head, while Visenya just listened. _How is she calm about this?_ "I can't allow you to put yourself at risk, Jae. There's no way of knowing just awaits you and your friends there."

"_I'm not asking for your permission, Egg. And I'm not going alone. I'll be fine_."

Aegon was taken aback by his disregarding of his wishes, but then remembered that Jaenyx was not under his father and therefore not under him. Even their father promised him a position equal to Aegon's, meaning that he could not control his actions. "Then all I can ask that you be safe, Jae. Otherwise, Vis might be bash my head in if you're hurt." That got him chuckles from the council except Visenya, who displayed her confidence in her husband.

"I'm coming too," Rhaenys stepped forward.

Aegon's eyes widened. "No, Rhae! I'm not going to put my wife in danger!"

"Jae and his friends will protect me. Besides, they might need a softer touch to their mission and no one will expect a woman to infiltrate their lands."

"Still, no," Aegon repeated. "I am risking one of my family in this. I won't have my wife-"

"I need to do this, Egg," Rhaenys answered, with Aegon detecting a trace of finality in her words. "Besides, Jae might have more motivation to come back safe to Vis if he is also protecting me," she jested. To his credit, Jaenyx did not express open disapproval to Rhaenys wanting to come, also sensing that Rhaenys had already made her decision.

Not wanting the rest of the council to see more disagreement between them, Aegon nodded his consent but resolved to talk to her afterwards. Dismissing the council, he followed Rhaenys back to the tent and found her that she was already packed and dressed for the journey ahead.

"There's no stopping you, is there?" Aegon asked, but it was more of a statement.

"I have to do something productive-"

"You can stay here and hold the fort. You were wounded and in no condition for-"

Rhaenys tightened her fists. "Don't you dare tell me what to do or where I can't go! I am sick of it!"

Aegon stepped back, surprised that at her outburst. He never seen her like this and she definitely didn't have a temper, or so he thought.

"What's wrong, Rhae?" Aegon asked calmly, walking towards her with his hand held out. "What's going on?"

Rhaenys let out several shaky breaths while her fists also shook, but her fury dissipated with each exhale. "I've been in bed for days, and I carry the scars that remind me of when I almost drowned that night," she murmured slowly. "Being in bed makes me think… too much."

Aegon raised an eyebrow. "What about when we're coupling?"

Rhaenys groaned. "We're doing something, Egg. That's what I need."

"But you'll be busy here holding the fort-"

"That's not enough, Egg."

"So, your reaction to almost dying is to get yourself into more danger?"

"Please don't fight me on this."

"Then help me understand, Rhae!" Aegon cried out. "Why do you want to go with Jae on what is essentially a stairway into hells?"

Rhaenys took a moment. "Because if I don't do this… if I am stuck here instead of doing something worthwhile, I will be stuck with thinking about how the Bay nearly choked the life out of me. And I don't know what will happen if I let those thoughts continue to occupy my mind."

Aegon couldn't decide what was worse: his wife willingly putting herself in danger or the fact that her near-death experience would do the same thing.

"All right," Aegon acquiesced. "But please come back safe. That's all I ask, Rhae." He gulped. "I don't know what I'll do without you."

Then, Rhaenys smiled. _There it is_. She walked up to him, placed her hand on his cheek, and tiptoed to give him a kiss.

The kiss became deeper as Rhaenys put her arms around Aegon's neck while he wrapped his arms around her waist. Their tongues wrestled with each other for control as they both moaned in their mouths.

Aegon felt Rhaenys' arms reach up inside his tunic as she pulled it up over his head. She kissed his neck, down his torso, and further down to between his legs. His breath hitched as she undid his breeches, pulled them down, and took his length into her mouth. Looking down, he saw her purple eyes staring back at her while waves of pleasure spread through his insides. _How does she know how to shut me up?_

"Release into me, Egg," she managed between her licks. "Shatter in my mouth." She sucked hard and took him deep.

"Fuucckk…" Aegon slowly uttered as he felt his cock erupt while Rhaenys' tongue swept some more between his legs. "Where did you learn to do that?"

"Muña taught me some things that she said kept kepa quiet whenever they fought," Rhaenys scratched between his legs with her slender fingers. "She said that 'men become so simple when a woman sucks on his cock.'"

Aegon broke into a guffaw, which was tempered at how stiff he became with her fingers still on his length. "I guess I better talk to Father more often after all of this." He cocked his head at Rhaenys. "Do you know anything else?"

Rhaenys gave him a lusty grin. "Depends, Egg. Although I would choose wisely since it might be weeks before we see each other again."

Aegon momentarily got out of his blissful stupor. "We will see each other again, right?"

"Count on it," Rhaenys slowly got up and stood a few inches from Aegon's face.

Aegon again took her in his arms, feeling his hands around her supple curves and squeezing her breasts through her dress. Spurred on by her moaning, he reached for the laces on her back and slowly undid them while keeping his eyes on hers. Slowly, he pulled down the fabric and felt his heart skipping a beat upon gazing at her form. Although not as muscled and toned as Visenya, Rhaenys was thin and graceful with breasts that fit her slim frame. She was all woman and smelled of soap and perfume. Aegon nuzzled her neck while running his hands over her bare body.

Aegon pushed Rhaenys onto the mattress in their tent, kneading her breasts while guiding his cock into her entrance. She blinked rapidly as he slid deeper inside her, looping her arms around his neck as he slammed faster into her. Rhaenys made it feel like the first time for Aegon and her moans and rolled eyes spurred him to go harder.

"Please, Egg. Fuck me harder. Take your sister," she whispered. Them being siblings didn't bother Aegon, as sibling unions were common in Valyria and their father planned for him to marry Visenya. Fortunately, Jaenyx showed up and became the loving husband that Visenya deserved, something that Aegon couldn't give her. With Rhaenys, he could be the Florian to Rhaenys' Jonquil, even though he found that tale quite annoying after hearing it too much.

Aegon felt Rhaenys' legs wrapped around his waist, her way of telling him to go much faster and harder than he was. Their moans and grunts became louder and no doubt that the nearby tents, where Visenya, Jaenyx, and Orys were, could hear their lovemaking. Aegon was not worried about them, as they were family and all that mattered was pleasing his sister-wife.

"That. The. Best. You. Can. Do?" Rhaenys posed playfully in between her moans.

Taking her challenge, Aegon switched their positions, with him laying on the mattress and her on top of him. Her back against his chest, he looped his arms around both of her shoulders, reinserted his cock in her, and slammed her from behind. Their hips slapping filled the tent as they neared the climax, with Aegon having to put more effort in thrusting in her while lying on his back. Feeling his core and back strain from all the thrusts, he finally went over the brink as his seed burst in Rhaenys and he saw stars twinkling in his vision. He collapsed deeper into the mattress with his arms and legs outstretched over the bed's edges, both panting and recovering from their climax.

"I am yours forever, Egg," Aegon felt Rhaenys' hand reach over her shoulder and cup his cheek as she still laid on top of him, her sweat flowing down onto his body.

"And I am yours, Rhae," Aegon caressed her belly while he buried his face in her hair and took in her glorious scent. He was about to tell her that they would talk about her… mental condition, but decided not to. Why else would she have an outburst before shutting him up with her body? Instead, he took in these moments and had his mind remember each second of it. Being here, with Rhaenys, from their first night as man and wife… nothing could replace this.

A few hours later, Aegon and Rhaenys helped dress each other before she headed out of the fort with Jaenyx, Arata Haru, and Rhaedar Tarareon. It was decided that Visenya would be in command of the fort in both Aegon's and Jaenyx's absences, as both Dragonstone's bannermen and Jaenyx's vassals would answer to her. Ragaemor would accompany Aegon and Orys to Rook's Rest to secure the town and wait for the combined Duskendale-Maidenpool-ironborn onslaught, while Jaenyx and Rhaenys would lead their group deep into the Riverlands to scout out and infiltrate the region.

Before they left, Aegon gave Rhaenys a deep kiss and told her to be safe. He looked over and saw Visenya be much more open with her affections to Jaenyx, giving him a rather forceful kiss and squeezing his cock while he could see her whisper in his mouth. He could make out Jaenyx's response, "_Don't worry, Vis. I'm not going to let anyone even touch Rhae._" She nodded, fully trusting in her husband, while she gave Rhaenys a smile that said, _don't do anything rash_.

Rhaenys going with Jaenyx on his mission was rash in itself, but like Aegon, Visenya knew that there was no convincing her to do otherwise. However, she took it much better than he did, fully understanding that her sister needed to do this for her own peace of mind and was confident that she'll be safe with Jaenyx and his friends. Aegon tried to catch a final glimpse as they went further from the fort, their heads covered with hoods and dressed in cloaks that concealed their weapons.

Praying to the gods of Valyria to protect them, Aegon hugged Visenya before climbing onto Balerion. He stayed as close as he could to Orys as they moved their contingent onto the Velaryons' boats and sailed towards Rook's Rest.

* * *

The troops moved as quietly as they could in the dead of night, forbidden to light torches and ordered to muffle their boots with rags. Spears and pikes were not to touch the ground, sword belts were removed, and everyone was to move in a uniform fashion, not one step too quick or slow. No one spoke a word as they all moved carefully into position. Nothing was left to chance as the dark of night would only offer one opportunity to mask their movements from the vigilant eyes of the enemy.

It took a day for them to sail from their fort at the mouth of the Blackwater Rush towards Rook's Rest. To his credit. Lord Staunton saw the futility in resisting after Balerion's shadow covered the town and bent the knee to the dragons while surrendering command of his two hundred and fifty swords.

To the north of the town was a hill that commanded the approach to the Crackclaw Point. However, Aegon resisted the urge to fortify that hill immediately, as that would prevent the enemy from attacking them. Remembering Jaenyx's advice, he and Orys bided their time, having their men sharpen their weapons and having their archers keep their bows in good condition while preparing many contingencies should their main plan not achieve its objective.

Aegon had three thousand men with him, not including the two hundred and fifty swords from House Staunton: one thousand and five hundred men of Houses Rosby and Stokeworth, one thousand men of Houses Celtigar and Bar Emmon, and five hundred Tarareon cavalry after their new vassals provided them with horses. All of them were naturally nervous save for the Tarareons, the same ones who had fought against the Rhoynar of old. They quartered in Rook's Rest and waited for the enemy to come to them.

Over the next four days, Aegon flew up on Balerion high in the sky on watch for the enemy's movements. He remembered Jaenyx telling him that while dragons were good for scouting, nothing could beat information gained from the ground. "_Seeing on dragonback is like looking at a map with none of the details you need_" were his words. Aegon hoped that whatever information they would gain from the riverlands would help them in their struggle.

Then, Aegon spotted a column that ran for miles. Quickly counting in his head, he estimated at least 8,000 troops marching in the direction of Rook's Rest. _They're coming_. Quickly flying back to the troops and landing outside of the town, Aegon slid down off of Balerion's back and ran to Orys.

"Brother," Aegon said with a pant. "They're here. Get the troops ready."

"Let's get ready for the fight!" Orys gleefully shouted as he pulled out the axe Jaenyx gifted him and began barking orders to the soldiers.

In full armor and in battle formation, Aegon and Orys stood with the troops as they saw their enemies marching past the north hill to face them. They both saw the banners of Hoare, Darklyn, Mooton, and the Riverland houses that joined them flying in the breeze, the two armies staring each other down in what would be their first battle. It was a moment that many knights and warriors longed for, the plunge before their moment of glory. But for Aegon, he felt nervous as he was no longer in the training yard with Qoherys. People would die very soon and Aegon did not know what to do after killing his first man in anger.

"We need to hold steady, Egg," Orys put his hand on Aegon's shoulders. "I'm scared too." Aegon nodded his thanks to his brother, praying to the gods of Valyria for their success.

The staredown lasted to the afternoon, when Aegon saw the enemy move down from the hill. _There it is!_ "It is as Jaenyx said. They're getting overconfident."

"If we outnumbered an army three-to-one, we would also."

Aegon didn't answer. "Let them come closer and be completely off the hill. We'll attack in the morning."

Orys nodded. "Yes, brother." Despite being ten years older, Orys knew that Aegon was the leader of the two of them and did not question his orders.

The enemy had a good position upon the hill and outnumbering their army three-to-one meant that Aegon and Orys couldn't attack them yet. They were also waiting to use Balerion at the right moment in order to inflict maximum damage, as they were not so arrogant to think that their dragons could simply charge into the fray and fight all their battles for them. There was a reason that Aegon and Visenya were taught how to fight without dragons and this was their chance to put their knowledge to the test.

Near dusk, Aegon and Orys observed the enemy's new positions. "You see that, Orys? Look at how they're positioned on the slopes that lead up to the hill."

"Their left flank has cavalry on their far left and infantry next to them. But their cavalry is too far ahead of the infantry. Must be because the slopes are too steep for their horses."

"And that where we'll strike. Their center and right flank are restricted by the slopes leading up to the hill along with the trees dotting them. We focus our attack on their right flank and the rest will follow. As a final act, I'll have Balerion finish off what's left."

Orys nodded, smiling at the plan. "We'll be waiting for morning?"

"Aye. Let's do this."

They used the night to reposition themselves, placing the Celtigar infantry on their right flank opposite of their enemy's left, all of them equipped with long pikes to stave off the cavalry. In the early hours of the morning, Aegon took the initiative and kicked off the attack with a volley of fire arrows raining down upon the enemy's left flank.

"Nock!" Aegon ordered. "LOOSE!" He saw dozens of fire arrows fly through the dawn and fall onto the unsuspecting troops.

"Cavalry, charge!" Aegon shouted as the Tarareon cavalry galloped forward and slammed into the disorderly left flank. Many infantry were cut down, as the Tarareon horse archers shot arrows at them while on the run and their lances punched through their mail shirts. The Tarareon horse archers also shot at the enemy cavalry, killing many before they could mount their horses and thus throwing the enemy's left flank into chaos.

Aegon saw a force carrying Hoare banners moving towards their disorderly left flank, no doubt to reinforce them. "Signal their withdrawal," Aegon ordered one of his bannermen. The Tarareons withdrew back to their lines while the next phase of Aegon's plan was in motion. "Have Crispian march his lads forward. It's time."

Thankfully, only three Tarareon cavalrymen were killed before they reach the safety of their lines. Pikes down, the Celtigar formation moved across the flatter slopes of the enemy's left flank and struck them before the Hoare force could reorganize them. Many of the enemy infantry felt the sharp heads of the Celtigars' pikes pierce their gambesons and into their flesh.

Soon, Aegon saw the enemy's reserve cavalry wheel to their left, no doubt to support their beleaguered comrades. "Have the Tarareons regrouped?"

"Yes, brother," Orys replied.

"So soon... they truly are masters on the horse. Have them counterattack against their cavalry."

Aegon saw the Tarareons charge back into the fray, slamming into the Hoare cavalry while their mounted archers did more damage to them. "Orys, take the Stokeworth men. Time to finish off their left."

Orys didn't respond, but merely mounted his horse and charged. "Attack, men! Crush the iron hides!" With a battle cry, Orys led the Stokeworths to reinforce the Celtigars and the Tarareons. Aegon knew that the momentum gained by the Celtigar pikemen and the Tarareon cavalry needed to be maintained if the enemy's left flank was to be completely rolled. Only after they achieved that could they have a chance of not only restricting their enemy's movements, but to destroy them.

Aegon smiled as he saw the enemy's left flank completely collapse under the combined pressure of Orys' Stokeworth men, the Celtigars, and the Tarareons. With the approach to the north hill secure and their enemy stuck between them and the shore next to the Blackwater Bay, he decided it was time.

Climbing onto Balerion, Aegon shouted "Sōvēs!" Gaining altitude in the skies of dawn, Balerion took his time to climb as he was the largest of the dragons before he nosed down towards the enemy's center and right flank.

_Closer… closer…._ Then, to ensure maximum damage, Aegon gave the order. "DRACARYS!" Balerion let loose his black flames, the streams of pitch dragonfire coming upon the enemy and powerful enough to ground them to dust while a few others were simply set on fire. Balerion released his breath until the shore before climbing back up and turning around for Aegon to see.

Aegon was completely unprepared for what he saw. Before, he could see thousands remaining in the enemy's center and right flank, still ready to fight back against his troops. However, what was left was deep, black trench with smoke coming out of the ground, with the soldiers seeming turned to thin air. It was as if dust collected on the floors of Dragonstone and a servant simply swept it away with a broom. _Holy hells, Balerion is more powerful than I thought_.

Although he knew that another stream of dragonfire was unnecessary, Aegon flew over the enemy one more time, letting Balerion's shadow bathe them in darkness while a monstrous, ear-shattering roar broke through the chaos of the battle. Urging Aegon to land near some Celtigar pikemen, he slid off to see the remaining enemy troops surrendering and laying down their weapons.

Aegon walked up to Orys. "What's the count?"

Orys gave him a huge smile. "Only twenty dead and sixty wounded. Meanwhile, I can only count about one thousand survivors. It's a complete victory, Egg."

Aegon laughed, astonished at how well their first battle went. "Maybe I should use Balerion more often."

"Maybe," Orys japed back. "We should see to the survivors."

Aegon nodded before to the remains of the shattered enemy army. "Where are your commanders?!" he shouted.

"My lord," one soldier stepped up, soot covering his entire body. "Lord Darklyn and Lord Mooton perished when you burned them. Our overall leader, Prince Riler Hoare, is also dead."

"Where is the proof?" Aegon asked.

"Gone, when you burned them. As you can see, my lord, we have no leaders now."

"Thank you soldier," Aegon nodded. "To the rest of you, you've seen what a dragon could do. Many of your comrades have perished, their remains turned to dust! However, know that your overlords sealed their fates when they attacked my home and harming my family. As for you all," Aegon pointed. "I'm giving you a chance to live and return to your homes. Bend the knee and it shall be so."

Many slowly got on their knees, while Balerion's roar got the rest to follow suit.

Aegon looked over Orys, caked blood and dirt on his armor and blood dripping off his axe. While he rode Balerion, he hadn't drawn his sword but was not naive to think that he wouldn't need to do so in the future. If anyone was to really him respect as a warrior and leader, he had to get blood on his body and sword. _Hopefully, it'll be soon. That way, I won't worry about it anymore_.

**And here we have the first major battle of the Conquest. This battle was inspired by the Battle of Dunbar (1650), which is Oliver Cromwell's greatest achievement as a military leader. Really interesting battle and period, so I suggest you look it up. We also see the foundations of King's Landing, but it's not the Aegonfort for obvious reasons. And we see the real consequences of Jaenyx not being under Aegon.  
**

**This is the first time I'm wrote a major battle scene, so again, please bear with me as everything in this story is my first. The battles will only get more intense as the story progresses and I will add more stakes. So, please wait for that. **

**For Rhaenys, she's not going to be really okay after nearly drowning. She is acting naturally for someone who had a near death experience and I hope I got that part right. Her seducing Aegon to shut him up was too perfect of an opportunity to pass up, so I hope I did her right at that instance. **

**Next, we see the group doing their business in the Riverlands. **


	14. Rhaenys IV

**I keep saying this, but really appreciate all of the feedback and comments I get. **

RHAENYS IV

"Are you sure this is a good idea, Jae?"

"_It's the best chance we've got, Rhae. You had me informed that a harvest festival is where many lords congregate to discuss important matters. From what we've gathered, the first place to go would be a brothel_."

Rhaenys was uncomfortable going near a brothel. Granted, the town at the base of the Dragonmont had a brothel and she knew that such a place was where Orys was conceived. However, she remembered how long it took for their mother to treat Orys with a tolerable amount of decency and it made her skin crawl at the thought of selling her body for money.

But now, they had to enter a brothel for the sake of their struggle. After commandeering a boat and rowing up the Blackwater Rush, the group had heard that there was a harvest feast occurring at the Stoney Sept and that many of the major lords would attend. They also heard that Black Harren had officially called his banners after Aegon's victory at Rook's Rest, which saw Maidenpool surrendering to Aegon after he marched the troops there and Duskendale surrendering to Visenya after she flew over. In just a few weeks, the dragons had secured all of the lands surrounding the Blackwater Bay, defeated two major ironborn forces, and were now within striking distance of Black Harren's incomplete fortress.

After docking near the Stoney Sept, the group took a room at an inn and closely observed the many lordly houses that had converged on the rather busy town. Their silver hair and amethyst eyes making them stick out like sore thumbs with the exception of Arata, they said that they were travelers from Lys. Rhaenys also began to speak more High Valyrian with Jaenyx and Rhaedar even though she knew that Lysenes didn't speak it, but none of the Westerosi they came across knew the difference.

They saw the twin keeps of House Frey, the silver eagle of House Mallister, the red stallion of House Bracken, the ravens and white weirwood of House Blackwood, and the trout of House Tully among others. Rhaenys explained to them among the riverland houses, the Tullys and Freys were the wealthiest due to their castles being located at critical points on the major rivers in the region, but the Blackwoods and Brackens both commanded the largest forces.

After going through the market square and observing the comings and goings of all of the Westerosi lordlings that had arrived at the Stoney Sept, Jaenyx and Rhaenys saw many of them enter a brothel on the east side of the market, its sign the shape of a peach. That was when Jaenyx came up with a plan to lure one of these lordlings into something he said was called a honey trap. Essentially, it involved utilizing one of the whores at the brothel and catching the lordling while he was in the act.

It didn't take much effort to get one of the whores in on the plot. Now, all they needed to do was to select a lordling. Sure enough, one of them made more visits to the brothel than his acquaintances and always with the same one. Jaenyx paid that whore with two sacks of silver and had her keep that lordling busy while they moved in.

Despite her discomfort with using such a questionable approach, Rhaenys had full confidence in her good-brother. However, she was only going to observe since she didn't want to be around a lordling in his… nude form. _Only one I will see bare is Egg_.

Getting a signal from the whore they hired, Jaenyx and Rhaenys entered through a back door of the brothel while Rhaedar and Arata stood guard. Moving through the dimly-lit hallways and the many rooms filled with moans and the smell of discharge, they finally arrived at the room where their whore was. Rhaenys saw Jaenyx put his ear next to the door, but she also heard the loud moaning from the other side. She then saw Jaenyx open the door, fighting the urge to avert her eyes at the lordling being caught in flagrante delicto.

"You can go," Rhaenys said to the whore as she handed her another sack of silver for her troubles before allowing her to leave. She took a moment to stare at the lordling, having short red hair and red beard, before she took a deep breath and getting a grip.

"Who the fuck are you?! Do you know who I am?!" the red-haired lordling cried out.

"Broden Tully," Jaenyx answered. "Your uncle is Edmyn Tully, Lord of Riverrun. Am I correct?"

"So you know who I am?"

Jaenyx sighed, annoyed at how slow he was being. "Would we approach you if we didn't?" Broden Tully stepped forward, but Jaenyx drew his sword and put it under his chin. "Really? You're going to attack me with your cock hanging for all to see?" The Tully man gulped. "Sit back down on the bed." To his credit, he was wise to comply before Jaenyx threw his clothes at him. "And put on your clothes, man. There's a lady here."

As the Tully man dressed while sitting, Rhaenys approached him. "We're not here to hurt you, Lord Broden. We just want some words with you and your uncle."

"You'll forgive me, my lady, but ambushing me in a brothel is not a very good start if you want my trust."

"We had to find a lordling to approach and you were the one that came here the most. Trying to petition any of the lords here would take time, time we do not have."

Broden Tully narrowed his eyes. "Who are you people? What do you want?"

Rhaenys looked at Jaenyx, who gave her a nod. "You know what happened at Rook's Rest?"

Broden Tully scoffed. "Are you being serious? Everyone in the riverlands is talking about it and pretty sure the rest of Westeros will. Black Harren lost ten thousand men in just a few weeks, and all because he couldn't control that crazy cunt of a son. He called all of the banners just last week."

"Yes, we know about that," Rhaenys replied. "But your uncle is here as well as many of the riverlords. Why is that?"

"I'm not privy to that information, so if that's what you're after, I would ask that you let me go." But as he tried to stand up, Jaenyx forced back down with his sword.

"If you don't have the information we need, then perhaps you can give us an introduction to your uncle."

Broden Tully frowned. "Before I do that, I need to know who you are."

Rhaenys took a step forward. "I am Rhaenys of House Targaryen, wife of Lord Aegon, heir of Dragonstone. This is my good-brother, Jaenyx of House Belaerys, Lord of the Basilisk Isles."

The Tully man's eyes widened. "Good gods. So it was your brother that wiped out the ironborn at Rook's Rest?" Rhaenys nodded while Broden Tully turned to Jaenyx. "So, you're the man who controls the knowledge of Valyrian steel?" He let out a laugh. "What a coincidence in that I meet the sister and good-brother of the man who humiliated Black Harren?"

Rhaenys also had to appreciate the fortuity of their encounter. They could have got any other lordling in that room, but they ended up with one who at least seemed impressed with how their brother conducted himself.

"They see that your brother was outnumbered three to one and that a dragon as big as the Gods Eye swooped in and turned the ironborn army alongside the Duskendale and Maidenpool lords to dust. Then again, dragons are still rumors in Westeros."

"As amusing as how our brother's exploits are spreading far," Jaenyx interrupted. "We would like for you to introduce us to your uncle. Can you do that?"

Broden Tully stared at him. "And why would I do that?"

"Because I think your uncle is hesitating to answer Black Harren's call."

"Every lord here is hesitating. It's all because of that bastard beggaring us."

"Can. You. Introduce. Us?" Jaenyx was losing his patience.

Rhaenys intervened. "Please forgive my good-brother, Lord Broden. He can be quite… impatient whenever he's under time constraints." Jaenyx glared at her. "But is it too much to ask if we could meet your uncle?"

Broden looked over Rhaenys, before nodding. "All right, my lady. Come to the sept at the top of the hill at dusk. You have my word that my uncle will be there."

"How would we know that you will not ambush us?" To be fair, Jaenyx had good reason to be worried.

"It's considered sacrilege if one draws weapons inside a sept. Well, at least to those who follow the Faith," Rhaenys explained.

"Exactly," Broden confirmed. "My uncle is a devout follower of the Faith. As long as you two are in the sept, he wouldn't dare harm you. Although, I'm certain that he won't harm you regardless."

"We'll have your word on that, Lord Broden," Rhaenys allowed him to leave before they made their way back to the inn. "You could be a little nicer when you talk to these people."

"_Why should I be_?" Jaenyx shot back. "_As far as we know, we are still in enemy territory and thus still in danger of being killed._"

"That's not the important issue here. You made very clear your feelings towards the customs of Westeros and I sympathize with that. However, we need all the help we can get and we won't get help if we treated everyone in Westeros like filth."

"_Personally, I don't care about these people. Whether they live or die is not my concern, but I have a responsibility to protect my people and it was Westerosi that attacked them._"

"And that's the problem, Jae!" But Rhaenys kept it to a whisper. "You're not in Sothoryos anymore. We have to treat them with some respect if we want their help. Furthermore, there are good people in this continent as everywhere. Would it be wise if we treated everyone with hostility before we met them?"

Rhaenys knew that this wasn't a proper time to discuss Jaenyx's strong reluctance to interact with Westeros' people, but she had to let him know how things were on this continent before his condescension messed things up. He knew how to break people if the carcass of that dead ironborn captain proved anything. He certainly knew how to get information from people and knew what people were. However, while she admired that he maintained his strong connection to his Valyrian roots, he was severely lacking in terms of tact. Probably due to him living in isolation and among only Valyrians. It might have worked with the Sunglass' and his treatment of them was justified given how craven they acted, but she needed to make clear to him that he had to show some prudence.

"At the very least, Jae, let me do the talking. To them, I am a proper lady and I am familiar with their ways. Can you do that?"

To her surprise, Jaenyx nodded. "_All right_."

"That's it? You're not going to fight me on that?"

Jaenyx sighed. "_Part of being a leader is to know when you're lacking in certain areas. I never really learned how to exercise tact whenever I talked with others. That was probably how I almost let myself be manipulated by your father, although everything turned out for the best_." Rhaenys winced at the memory of their father essentially demanding he marry into their family. "_The only reason why my people follow me was not just out of loyalty to my family. I had the courage to admit when I needed help and trust works both ways as a leader. If it weren't for them, I wouldn't have lasted very long. I still have a long way to go in terms of tact even though I know how people are. So, while I know you trust me to keep you safe, I'll trust you to handle the more… delicate aspects of our mission here_."

Rhaenys smiled before pecking Jaenyx on the cheek. Most men would take offense at letting women lead, but Jaenyx let her do it in a heartbeat. _My, my, Vis. You really caught yourself a good man here_.

* * *

At dusk, the group made their way towards the sept overlooking the town. Jaenyx instructed Rhaedar Tarareon and Arata Haru to lie in wait outside should something go wrong while he and Rhaenys hid Valyrian steel daggers in their cloaks. They were not going to take chances, especially so far behind enemy lines.

Walking inside the sept, Rhaenys and Jaenyx saw two older-looking men standing in front of the altar of the Father. One man had long red hair tied with a knot and a red beard while the other had short black hair, trimmed beard, and grey eyes. The red-haired man wore the trout of House Tully while the other man wore the white weirwood surrounded by ravens.

"Lord Belaerys, Lady Targaryen, welcome," the red-haired man began. "Rest assured, no harm will come to you in this place of worship. I am Edmyn of House Tully, Lord of Riverrun. And this is my friend, Colren of House Blackwood, Lord of Raventree Hall." He held out his hand.

Jaenyx cautiously shook both of the men's hands while they kissed Rhaenys'. Rhaenys judged Edmyn Tully as welcoming and genial, odd considering how they treated his nephew earlier that day. She was more wary of Colren Blackwood, who just stood there and listened. From her experiences with Jaenyx, she knew that it was the quiet ones she had to watch out for.

"Thank you, my lords, for making the time to speak with us," Rhaenys said. "I also know both of you are taking great risks in meeting with us, given the current circumstances between our family and your king."

Edmyn Tully scoffed. "He may be a king, but all of Westeros knows that he has no love from riverlords such as ourselves. It's a wonder that he's not worried when we have not replied to his ravens, calling us to assemble at his unfinished keep."

"Wouldn't you be oathbreakers then, since you have not answered the calls of your king?" Jaenyx asked. Rhaenys glared at him. _What the hell are you doing_?

Thankfully, Lord Tully was not offended. "A king must handle his vassals and his people with decency, but Black Harren has done nothing but beggar us and treat us like slaves for the past thirty years. So, if I'm an oathbreaker, our king is the first to commit such a crime."

Rhaenys sighed in relief. "I'm relieved to hear for once that rumors reflected reality, my lord."

"Quite so, my lady," Lord Tully nodded. "Regarding how you both treated my nephew, Broden, other lords would take offense and would punish those who did such a deed. But given his constant indiscretions and whoremongering, I would say that he got what was coming to him. So, I won't blame you for what you did to him."

"Thank you, my lord," Rhaenys slightly dipped her head.

"However, you would not have taken such a risk unless you felt that you needed to. Which brings us to why you wanted to meet with us." Rhaenys noticed that Lord Blackwood was still silent, which made her uneasy.

"I assume you heard about Rook's Rest."

Edmyn Tully scoffed. "That's the reason Black Harren called the banners in the first place. However, I, Lord Blackwood, and other lords have not yet responded and have come here to Stoney Sept to discuss other options."

"With my husband Aegon showing that Black Harren could be defeated, we would like for others who have suffered under his yoke to fight back. He attacked my good-brother's people, which is only a taste of what he had done to you all for thirty years. In addition, the fact that you have not answered his call means that you don't intend to support him. I believe we could help each other."

Edmyn Tully crossed his arms. "In what way, my lady?"

"Between you and Lord Blackwood, you can raise an army that can challenge Black Harren. And that's not including the forces that could be marshalled by the other lords that have come here. Combined with our dragons, we have more than a fighting chance against the forces of the ironborn."

"And so you suggest we bend the knee to you?"

"You have seen the results with Rosby, Stokeworth, Massey's Hook, and Rook's Rest. In exchange for their fealty, we reconfirmed them in their titles and lands and they fought admirably alongside us. If you declare for our cause, we can guarantee that you will retain your current titles and lands. As a further gesture of goodwill, we will also gift you with a Valyrian steel sword of your choice."

Rhaenys did not consult with Jaenyx on that, but she knew that adding Valyrian steel to the table would greatly increase their chances of getting new allies. Thankfully, Jaenyx did not outwardly respond.

"As tempting as that sounds, Lady Rhaenys," Edmyn Tully said. "We cannot declare for your family at this time."

"And why, my lord?"

"Yes, your husband won one battle and showed Westeros that Black Harren is not invincible. However, the fact remains that he fought only one battle. Black Harren still commands a large army and there's word that he's assembling the ironborn fleet. If we declare for you while he still commands such considerable forces, we would be in serious risk and would lose more than what we already have."

"But would not declaring for us continue the sufferings brought upon you by Black Harren?"

"There is much to risk, my lady. But your family commands less than ten thousand troops. How can those numbers possibly fare against the forces that Black Harren can muster? We have also heard that you are also moving against King Argilac. Simultaneously fighting against the marcher lords that would respond to Argilac's commands would be fatal, so the odds are very much against your favor."

"We have dragons, my lord."

"Aye, but they are still rumors to the rest of Westeros. And only have few have truly seen what they can do. So, can you understand why we wouldn't side with you in your struggle?"

Rhaenys should've expected that the riverlords would not help them and they had good reason not to. They still had a small army and most of Westeros still doubted the existence of their dragons, meaning that they would not believe in their capabilities so easily.

Then, Rhaenys heard Jaenyx scoff. "As I thought, Lord Tully."

Lord Tully blinked. "I beg your pardon?"

"You may not believe in what our dragons can do, but they were the ones that burned four thousand ironborn at the Blackwater Bay. They also burned nearly ten thousand men at Rook's Rest and accomplished what both the Storm Kings and ironborn have failed to do for generations: control of the lands surrounding the Blackwater Bay. Aegon was outnumbered, but he still defeated the army at Rook's Rest all the same. The dragons are capable of feats that are beyond the capacities of even the largest of armies. But you lords are more afraid of losing what you have, but are ignorant to the fact you're already losing much under Black Harren."

"Jaenyx!" Rhaenys scolded.

"You dare call me ignorant?" Edmyn Tully quickly became angry.

"So, I will do what I do best and appeal to your selfish nature," Jaenyx continued. "Simply put, if you declare for our cause, then we will not only allow you allow you to keep your lands, we will give you more than you already have. And those will be coming from the ones that our dragons will burn to ash."

"You think it's that simple, boy? You throw lands at us and we will be your dogs?" Edmyn Tully retorted.

"You haven't said anything contrary to that notion," Jaenyx shrugged. "Everyone wants something that they don't have, and you're no different."

"How dare you reduce us to men driven by greed, boy!" Edmyn Tully shouted. "I have daughters and I have responsibilities to the people under me. Who's going to protect them when I declare for you and my home invaded by the ironborn? My daughters will be raped and the village around Riverrun burned! If you had a family, you'd understand."

Rhaenys fought back a gasp. _Oh, no. Why did you say that?_ Fortunately, Jaenyx remained calm at his rudeness. "I do have a family, Lord Tully. So you're wrong to think that I don't understand what it's like. It's the exact reason why I'm fighting for them right now."

"And so, you must understand why I won't fight for you, my lord," Edmyn Tully spat with disdain. "I believe we're done here. The next time we cross paths, how about you show some respect to your elders?" And with that, Lord Tully turned to leave the sept in a huff. "Colren, are you coming?"

"I have some other matters to discuss with Lord Belaerys and Lady Targaryen, Edmyn. I'll join you shortly." Lord Tully looked as if he wanted to protest, but simply nodded and walked out.

"You must forgive my friend, Lord Belaerys. He has a tendency to be overly cautious and unwise in his choice of words."

"And you would describe your friend in that manner so soon after he leaves, my lord?" Rhaenys asked.

"Myself and Lord Edmyn go back a long way, my lady. He is an able lord and very well-liked throughout the riverlands, but he can get very complacent, which usually happens when you're around people who act and think like you."

"What about yourself, Lord Blackwood?" Rhaenys inquired.

"I have the blood of the First Men in me and unlike the other riverlords, I follow the Old Gods. I only came to this blasted place for my friend."

Rhaenys was quite familiar with the worship of the Old Gods. Even though Dragonstone didn't have a godswood, she had studied the significance of the weirwoods among the First Men. Although the practices of the Old Gods was interesting, their condemnation of unions within families did not sit well with her since she loved Aegon. Visenya was a little more interested in the Old Gods than her, who had visited the godswood at Highgarden and found that worshipping trees made a little more sense than worshipping arbitrary deities. Nevertheless, Rhaenys, like the rest of her family, reconnected with their Valyrian spirituality and maintained a healthy distance from the spiritual traditions of Westeros.

"And the thing about being the only ones to hold fast the traditions of the First Men," Lord Blackwood continued. "You know what it is like to sense those who would conspire against you and know what it is like to stand on your own two feet. If you are familiar with our feud with House Bracken, you would see how that developed our sense of self-reliance."

Rhaenys nodded. "What do you wish to say, my lord?"

"Lord Edmyn may not be amenable to supporting your struggle at this moment, but give him some time. In the meantime, I will try to convince him to at least consider your offer while I will prepare my troops to fight alongside you."

That surprised Rhaenys. "Why would you do that?" Jaenyx asked, just as surprised.

"Black Harren has been spitting on the traditions of the First Men for decades, Lord Belaerys," they both saw anger emerge in his eyes. "He's been cutting down weirwoods to support his vanity project near the Gods Eye. As a worshipper of the Old Gods, that is an affront that cannot go unanswered. But more importantly, my ancestor Agnes Blackwood died trying to fight the ironborn under Harwyn Hoare. I see this as my chance to do what Agnes Blackwood failed to do."

Rhaenys exchanged a look with Jaenyx. This was their first ally that they found in the riverlands, which meant they made good progress. "How many troops can you muster?" Jaenyx asked.

"I can raise six thousand men in a fortnight, but I have to be careful as to not draw attention from Black Harren's agents. And I can't send all of them to you since I need to protect my lands. What I can give you is five hundred of my infantry and two hundred of my cavalry, along with some free advice. If you want the riverlands to declare for your family, you need a more decisive victory over Black Harren. By decisive, I mean that he suffers irreparable damage that he won't be able to attack either you or us. In the meantime, I will convince Lord Edmyn to at least consider declaring for you. I am not well-loved in the riverlands, but if he does it, the other houses will follow."

"Do we have your word on that, my lord?" Rhaenys stared him in the eye. Getting a nod from him, Jaenyx and Rhaenys shook his hand and left the sept.

* * *

"Do you trust him, Jae?" Rhaenys asked as they talked back through the Stoney Sept back to their boat.

"Daor," Jaenyx replied.

"He promised to raise six thousand men for us and he already given part of his army to us."

"_I believe that he has a personal reason to go against Black Harren, but I don't think he was telling us everything._"

"What do you mean?"

"_He said that Edmyn Tully is well-loved throughout the riverlands and that if he rises in rebellion against Black Harren, the others will follow. If Lord Blackwood wanted to rise against the ironborn, he would have done it himself, but he wants his friend to do that for him._"

"Well, it is as he and you said. He's the popular one, so naturally, people would follow him."

"_True, but I'm trying to work out his plan. What does he want from us?_"

"Ah… you think he's not helping us out of the goodness of his heart?"

"_Well, your father didn't give me and my people sanctuary until I agreed to marry Vis. So, you have that to remember_." Rhaenys again winced. "_But he has other, more selfish reasons to help us. I mean, that's what lords usually are._"

"What do you think he's after?"

"_Everyone in the riverlands know about the Blackwoods fighting against the Brackens. One thing he could ask from us is help against his old enemy._"

Rhaenys nodded. "And others?"

"_Well, he's only the major worshiper of the Old Gods south of the Neck. Helping us and succeeding could be his way of asserting his dominance over those that have long isolated him_."

Rhaenys couldn't eliminate such possibilities. "How should we proceed from here?"

"_It is as Lord Blackwood said. We need something more decisive against Black Harren. Rook's Rest was a great start, but we need to fight and break the ironborn's back. Once we do that, he won't have control over his vassals anymore._"

"So what now? Back to the Blackwater Rush?"

"_Probably. Or yet, wait for Blackwood's men to join us. At least he's the first one to give us any kind of support._"

"Five hundred men and two hundred cavalry is no small support at this stage."

"_Agreed. But we need to strategize_."

As they made their way back to the docks, Rhaenys turned around and saw that they were being followed by a group of men. Giving Jaenyx and the others a glance, they made their way to the boat before turning around and drawing their weapons.

"Who the hell are you?" Jaenyx ordered.

One of the men, the leader by the looks of him, walked forward. "Pretty well-armed for travelers, aren't you?" He then drew his axe, with the others following suit. "By order of His Grace Harren of House Hoare, first of his name, King of the Rivers and the Isles, you are hereby under arrest for spying. Drop your weapons."

"No," Jaenyx replied.

"I said, drop your weapons," the ironborn got infuriated that someone defied him.

"Come and take them, you bastard," Jaenyx shot back.

The leader laughed, his dirty hair swinging as he turned to face his men. "You hear this fucking guy?! All right, we'll do this the hard way." The ironborn swung his axe at Jaenyx, who avoided it by moving to his right, drawing his sword, and slicing through the gambeson. The cut was clean, as the blade passed through the gambeson and the front of the torso out the back. The ironborn leader saw his legs collapse beneath him before he fell over, body in two parts.

The other ironborn promptly attacked, with Jaenyx stabbing one in the belly with his blade and pulling it out with such force that blood and intestines spilled out of the cavity before the poor ironborn fell on his knees with his mouth wide open. Arata Haru cleanly decapitated one other while Rhaedar swung his axe down on another's head, the skull splitting open and brain matter splattering over the dock.

The final ironborn attempted to charge at Rhaenys and swung down with his axe on Rhaenys' left shoulder. However, all he heard was a steel clank despite the axe going through her cloak. Acting on instinct, Rhaenys drew her dagger and stabbed the final ironborn in the neck, cutting his major blood vessels and blood spraying on her face while he fell to the ground dead.

While still in a daze, Rhaenys felt someone push her to the boat as they cast off from the dock. She felt someone shaking her, turning to see it was Jaenyx.

"_You all right_?" she heard him ask. She removed her cloak to reveal her dragon coat. She heard that Visenya's asked him to make one for her after she nearly drowned in the Blackwater Bay. Like Visenya's, it was dipped in dragon's blood, Meraxes' blood, with the shoulders and torso covered in Valyrian steel plates. Unlike Visenya's, it was red trimmed with black, the colors of House Targaryen. That axe would have cleaved through her shoulder had it not been for Valyrian steel plate protecting it, and Rhaenys forgot she wore it because of how light it was.

"Oh, my gods." Everything was coming back to Rhaenys. "I just killed a man."

"_It was either you or him, Rhae. There was no getting out of that one._"

"But it was still a person."

"_No one's going to blame you for killing someone to defend yourself. Egg definitely wouldn't._"

In the span of a week, Rhaenys nearly drowned and had taken her first life. She was content with living the life as a proper lady of Dragonstone and never intended to partake in the rigors of war, but here she was. _How am I going to go back after all of this_? She learned that no person came back the same after a war and she was afraid that she was going to lose parts of herself that she was afraid of losing. She felt her breath quicken and exhaling faster than normal, the stresses of the last week and the panic of killing a man overtaking her. _I… can't breath._

Fortunately, Jaenyx saw what was happening and held her tight. "_Hey, hey_," he shushed as he ran his hand down her hair and back. "_You're all right. You're alive. That's all that matters, Rhae_."

"_It's getting too much, Jae_."

"_I know, I know. Just calm down, but also let it all out. Let it all out_."

For the first time since she got out of that bed, Rhaenys felt tears come down her face. Jaenys continued hugging her, his hands calming her down as she let out all of the anxieties and worries that had built up inside her. "_I'm scared, Jae_."

"_Me too, Rhae. Me too._"

"How do you do get past this?" Rhaenys looked up in his eyes.

"_Honestly, Rhae, you don't. Something like killing will never leave you. Anyone who says that killing is easy is either lying or something is wrong with their mind. However, what you can do is remember and learn how to survive the next time. What would help is remembering that you have something to lose if you die. You have Egg, but what would happen to him if you died on that dock?_" Rhaenys didn't answer, for both already knew. "_Be afraid of the things that you will lose. It may not make it easier for you to handle, but it might just give you a better chance the next time. That's all I can say now_."

"What about nearly dying?"

Jaenyx hesitated. "_I know what it is like to almost die. However, something prevented me from doing so because my mother died instead so that I might live._"

Rhaenys stood straighter. Jaenyx avoided talking about his mother and even Visenya was quiet about it. "_What happened?_"

Jaenyx sighed. "_The red death broke out in the Basilisk Isle and my father died painfully from it. I got infected and I was close to death. I still remember my skin peeling like parchment and me almost losing my breath._" Rhaenys saw his breath quiver. "_She had her brother, Taygor's father, do a blood ritual where she exchanged her life for me healing and living._" Rhaenys saw that the mention of the red death made Rhaedar Tarareon sink in slightly, the plague also a sore subject for him. "_The last thing she said to me was 'Only death can pay for life_.'"

This was the first time Rhaenys had heard Jaenyx talk about his mother to her, and she now began to understand why there was so much sadness in him. Deep down, he felt… guilt because he allowed his mother to do what she did. She reached up and ran her hand across his back to comfort him.

They rowed the rest of the Blackwater Rush in silence, Rhaenys and Jaenyx both reflecting on what it was like to nearly die and what it was to kill. _I just hope this ends soon, so that everything will go back to the way it was_.

**And here, we are introduced to Edmyn Tully, the leader of the Riverlander rebellion against Black Harren. Writing him was kind of difficult because there was scant info on who he was as a person. However, given how Tullys are quite impulsive, I decided to model Edmyn Tully after Edmure. Wanted to show that the apple didn't fall very far from the tree in that regard. However, Lord Blackwood will have a very important role in the upcoming Conquest and Jaenyx is right to be suspicious of him. So stay tuned for that. **

**And here, we have Rhaenys and Jaenyx becoming even more closer due to their shared experience of nearly dying and killing. Rhaenys will understandably not take it well, but in the process, she got a chance to know Jaenyx's more intimate and painful memories. They could only get closer through their shared pain and anguish.**

**I accidently wrote Argilac instead of Harren the ironborn ambushed them lol. Fixed it!**

**Next, we will see Visenya start to move against the Stormlands. **


	15. Visenya IV

VISENYA IV

Visenya gazed down at the map of the Blackwater Bay. Just last week, she had returned from Duskendale after having the last Darklyn heir bend the knee to the dragons. Despite the devastation of their enemies at Rook's Rest, the Darklyns and Mootons still commanded a combined force of one thousand and five hundred troops, not enough to significantly bolster their forces but enough to ease the pressure of garrisoning the fort off of their better and loyal troops. Within a span of a few weeks, the Blackwater Bay was firmly under the banners of the dragons and thus securing a foothold on Westeros, from which they could advance against the ironborn and the Arrogant king.

Left in charge of the fort in both Aegon's and Jaenyx's absences, Visenya was stuck to maintain a somewhat tolerable mood for the various peoples at the fort. Lords Jon Rosby and Alyn Stokeworth were charged with leading the native Westerosi troops that had bent the knee to the dragons. Crispian Celtigar and Daemon Velaryon managed the banners sworn to Dragonstone, with Lord Sunglass placed directly underneath them for his father's cowardice. Ragaemor and Maerys Tarareon led the armed strength that came with Jaenyx while Aevor Rahitheon oversaw the fort itself due to his experience as an engineer and smith. With the addition of the Maidenpool and Duskendale hosts, the dragons now had a near nine thousand troops at their command.

However, Visenya knew that this was no united force. Despite serving the dragons, the Valyrian houses that came with them kept their distance from the Rosbys, Stokeworths, Mootons, and Darklyns, essentially the native Westerosi since the former associated the latter with a backwater culture that worshipped arbitrary deities, celebrated various acts of knightly valor while ignoring that many of them merely killed someone else's enemies, and were content with allowing some upjumped bastard into sleeping with another's wife on their first night. The divisions didn't stop there, as the Celtigar and Velaryon troops clashed with the Tarareons and Rahitheons, the latter accusing the former for forgetting their Valyrian roots in favor of being accepted by a backward people.

Keeping the peace between the Valyrian houses was not a difficult task for Visenya, as she was both a daughter of House Targaryen and Lady of House Belaerys. Crispian and Daemon had known her their entire lives and so, they would naturally defer to her and trusted her to make all of the decisions. As for Aevor Rahitheon and Ragaemor and Maerys Tarareon, they were unquestionably loyal to Jaenyx and all three had helped Jaenyx improve his negotiating position when they first arrived at Dragonstone. Her being a dragonrider and making a conscious effort to accommodate Jaenyx's vassals' need for their lord to have a lady strongly rooted in Valyria, which included speaking High Valyrian only with them, went a long way to earning their loyalty.

It was a different story for Visenya regarding Jon Rosby and Alyn Stokeworth. They were wise enough to see the futility of fighting once they saw the dragons fly over their castles, but they both represented everything that she had grown to loath about Westeros. Along with the usual haughtiness of Westerosi lords, both Rosby and Stokeworth showed how uncomfortable they were with answering to a woman even though they took great care in not making their discomfort obvious. Dealing with Lord Sunglass was enough for Visenya, but she found herself rubbing her head in vexation more often when dealing with two more lords like Sunglass. _If their troops didn't fight as well as they did at Rook's Rest, I would have taken Dark Sister to their hearts just to shut them up_.

Nevertheless, Visenya knew that it was up to her to make sure that harmony was maintained between their disparate houses, which was easier said than done and something that Rhaenys would have had no trouble handling. While Aegon and Orys were managing the threat of the ironborn to the west and north of the Blackwater Bay at the same time as Jaenyx and Rhaenys were infiltrating the riverlands, she was not foolish to ignore the threat to the south. Reports from Tarareon cavalry patrols and from Daemon's vessels all indicated movement from the Arrogant king's domains, specifically around the lands of Bronzegate, Felwood, and Haystack Hall as well as the lands on both of the Wendwater's banks. She flew high above those areas on Vhagar to confirm them, as she was taught by Jaenyx to cross-reference and check each report for its veracity and to avoid redundancy.

Any movement on the Wendwater was concerning for Visenya. Any direct route through the northern domains of the Storm King and towards Storm's End would have to cross through the Wendwater, which was not an easy task in itself. The troops of House Buckler of Bronzegate, House Fell of Felwood, and House Errol of Haystack Hall were noted warriors and archers, able to safeguard the northern domains of the Durrandon kings from the shiftiness around the Blackwater Bay and especially the ironborn under House Hoare. More importantly, thick woods covered the most direct approach to Storm's End, woods that the houses near the Wendwater knew well.

But even if they could move through those woods, Visenya knew that was only the beginning. The lands surrounding Storm's End were filled with stony ridges, which negated the use of cavalry and presented many opportunities for ambushes by funneling an army through its few passable areas. Attacking Storm's End from the sea was also not an option, as their approach would be alerted by House Tarth of Evenfall Hall and due to much of the coasts of Storm's End and the Cape Wrath being mountainous. The only way to do damage was by dragonfire, but there were many unknowns and no way of knowing for certain if dragonfire could destroy a mighty fortress like Storm's End.

And that was not including the strength of the marcher lords. Settled in the Dornish Marches, marcher lords such as the Dondarrions of Blackhaven, the Selmys of Harvest Hall, the Swanns of Stonehelm, and the Carons of Nightsong were renowned for their martial abilities and commanded bowmen that easily surpassed those from around the Wendwater. They also possessed much battle experience fighting the Dornish, many of which the Arrogant king participated in. Should Argilac Durrandon be able to bring the full might of the marcher lords to bear on the Blackwater Bay, the dragons would be in serious danger of being pushed out. In addition, the stormlords held much more loyalty to King Argilac than the riverlords to Black Harren despite his hold on his kingdom gradually slipping due to having no male heir and due to rumors that he wasn't the great warrior that he was in his prime. In essence, the dragons would have a difficult fight ahead of them in the domains of the Storm King.

Yet, despite the overwhelming obstacles facing them, Visenya saw some good news. Earlier that week, she flew over on Vhagar in a sweep over the southern domains of the Durrandons. She got curious when Tarareon cavalry and Daemon's patrols mentioned no banners of the marcher lords arriving near the southern parts of the Blackwater Bay. She had to fly high enough so that no one on the ground could see her, which limited to what she could see below. However, what she could make out from above was that the fields to the east of Nightsong, the farthest of the Storm King's marcher fortresses and located north of the Red Mountains, still had men tending to them in order to get the harvests of the summer years. The same was said for the fields around Stonehelm, which was at the eastern edge of the Dornish Marches. Both facts indicated one thing: the Arrogant king had not called the banners of his marcher lords and therefore did not mobilize all of his forces.

Not mobilizing the marcher lords was a good thing in Visenya's mind. That meant that the Storm King was more worried about the threats posed by Dorne and the Gardener kings of Highgarden, so he was keeping his best troops remaining where they were to deter them. The dragons could then focus on the threats directly south of the Blackwater Bay and how to maneuver through the thick woods extending all the way to Felwood in order to approach Storm's End. She had consulted Aevor Rahitheon on how they could move columns of troops through the woods, who responded by saying that the troops would need a combination of felling trees, shovels, and fire. He also said that using dragonfire would be the quickest way to clear a path through a forest, but like fire, one had to be careful so as to not uncontrollably set the trees ablaze.

Additionally, the Storm King not mobilizing all of his forces together meant that provided they move fast, the dragons could punch through Bronzegate and have a clear path to Storm's End. They might not be able to assault the fortress, but they could cut off the Durrandons and use the infamous terrain of the Storm kingdom to their own advantage by preventing reinforcements from coming through. But all of this had to wait until their numbers improved. The focus may have been on the riverlands, but Visenya had to plan when they do move against the Arrogant king.

Letting out an exhale, Visenya moved away from the maps and sat down on the mattress. Initially living in tents in anticipation of the enemy closing in on their position, their efforts in securing the lands around the Blackwater Bay and Aegon's victory at Rook's Rest allowed their troops to remain at the fort for the long-term. As such, Visenya had Rahitheon engineers construct more permanent structures for all of them, with a large wooden manor house built on the summit of the highest hill where she, Jaenyx, Aegon, Rhaenys, and Orys would live in. She occupied the rooms in the left wing, which had a mattress, a small table, chairs, and a collection of books that she brought with her from Dragonstone on the subject of Valyria's wars with the Rhoynar along with others detailing the conflicts between the Durrandons and the Hoares.

Visenya rubbed the mattress on the spot next to where she sat, her thoughts yearning for the one that was not there with her. _Oh, Jae. I miss you already. _She was not one for flights of fancy like Rhaenys, but the year she spent married to Jaenyx had deepened her feelings and longing for her husband. She did not know if it had something to do with their wedding ceremony, but she felt empty without him by her side. A part of him was within her, the half that made her whole, and she saw that Jaenyx felt the same way. And she never thought that she would stake so much of her existence on a man as well as giving her heart, but she gave both and he reciprocated.

Visenya closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to relax on the mattress after the day's work. Her thoughts were of their keep back on Dragonstone, to their bed in red and blue sheets, as a fiery sensation spread through her and put in arousal. She heard her breath quicken and moans leaving her mouth as she felt a familiar feeling come upon her. _Oh… fuck…_

Her thoughts were of Jaenyx as he fingered her clit hard while keeping his piercing amethyst eyes focused on hers. She remained still as he sucked and bit all the way down from her neck to her entrance. He would remain licking at her cunt, getting more moans from her and spurring him on. However, their best fucking was when she would be on top of him. Feeling his abdominals and chest and biting his lip while pounding up and down on his length, pulling his hands towards her breasts and sighing in content as he squeezed them. The sensations she had from their lovemaking were things she never wanted to end, but she felt more satisfied when she was the one that ended on top. Seeing him roll his eyes but her grabbing his chin and ordering him to keep them open. _Fuck me, Jae, as a dragon would to another dragon_.

A knock on her chamber's door pulled her out of her blissful stupor. Her eyes flying open, Visenya saw that she was covered in sweat, her tunic and trousers clinging to the curves of her body, and her heart pounding hard and fast.

"Milady?" Visenya heard through the door. "Lord Tarareon is asking for your presence at the south gate."

"A moment," she called out while she calmed herself down and wiped off the sweat from her face. She then felt her lower places feeling steaming hot and reached inside of her trousers to find her flower wet with her juices. She felt her face slightly blush, never expecting that a man would make her feel and think that way.

Visenya heard another knock. "Milady, he insists that you hurry."

"A moment!" Visenya repeated while she changed into her dragon coat. She made sure that Aevor Rahitheon made Rhaenys' befitting a lady of House Targaryen. Red with black trims, it was not durable as Visenya's but it could protect her from everything up to a small moment of exposure to dragonfire. After straightening her coat, she opened the door. "Yes?"

"Lord Tarareon said that there are riders at the south gate, carrying the banner of House Durrandon," the servant explained.

Visenya wasted no time getting to the south gate, finding Tarareon and Celtigar archers aiming their bows at a group of knights on horseback followed by a small column of infantry. Looking down from the battlement next to the south gate, she saw that all of them wore the sigil of House Durrandon, a black stag in a field of yellow with a crown around its neck. There were ten knights in two columns, with the leading two carrying the Durrandon banners and all wearing plate armor, who were supported by at least fifty infantrymen and thirty archers.

Visenya's eyes then looked at the two lead riders in front of the knights. One of them was also a knight, but his plate armor was more elaborately-decorated, with suns and moons carved on his cuirass and a blue sash worn diagonally from his right shoulder to left side of the waist. The lead knight had his helm raised up, which revealed the hardened, weathered look of an experienced warrior, with his straw-colored hair and beard slowly fading and his eyes betraying the strain received from many battles.

The other lead rider was much more intriguing than the other. In contrast to the mail shirts of the infantry and the plate armor of the knights, this rider wore a black cloak draped over the shoulders of her olive dress. She carried no weapons, but her stance as she sat on her horse told Visenya that she didn't need them. Her long, wavy black hair fell past her shoulders, but Visenya saw a steel behind her blue eyes. A steel that she could recognize whenever women were thrust into authority but were not very accepted among the male-dominated circles of upper society. _Better keep an eye on this one_.

"Soldiers of the dragons, we come on behalf of his Grace, Argilac of House Durrandon, first of his name, Storm King, and Lord of Storm's End. To whom shall we address?" the blue-sashed knight announced.

"You haven't identified yourselves properly, ser," Visenya answered back to the knight.

"And who are you to address a party representing King Argilac?"

Visenya held back a scoff before standing straighter. "I am Visenya of House Belaerys, Lady of the Basilisk Isles and rider of the dragon Vhagar." As if on cue, Vhagar flew low over the Durrandon group, causing the infantry to fall to the ground and the knights to flinch at both Vhagar's presence and her roar. It took a moment for all of them to recover their bearings. She couldn't help but smirk. _You have not seen anything yet_. "And who are we addressing?"

The knight looked ready to respond to Visenya's lack of decorum, but the black-haired lady held up her hand to silence him. "Lady Visenya," she sat straight. "I am Argella of House Durrandon, Princess of the Storm Kingdom and heir to King Argilac. And this is my sworn sword and the master-at-arms of Storm's End, Ser Bruze of House Tarth of Evenfall Hall."

_The daughter of the Arrogant king herself?_ "This is very unexpected, Princess Argella," Visenya continued to stare at the Storm princess. "You did not inform us of your arrival here."

"You are speaking to Princess Argella Durrandon, Lady Visenya. You will address her as 'Your Grace,'" Ser Tarth admonished.

"Apologies, Ser Tarth," Visenya replied. "But your king is no king of mine and my family aren't sworn to Storm's End. So, we have no obligation to address her as such."

"You insolent, little-" Ser Tarth was fuming, but only Argella Durrandon putting her hand on his shoulder and scolding him while her eyes stopped him from saying anything foolish.

"Forgive Ser Tarth, Lady Visenya," Argella spoke up. "He has been loyal to my family and king for many years now and does not tolerate easily when one doesn't use decorum in my presence. But you have stated the facts. You are not sworn to my father, so I will excuse you not addressing me by my title."

"Thank you, Princess," Visenya responded. _This is going to get interesting. _

"Also, I have come to discuss matters that are too… delicate in the open. If you would be so kind, Lady Visenya, as to allow us entry into your citadel so that we may deliberate about them."

Visenya considered the situation. Argella Durrandon did not bring an army with her, but allowing her and her retinue into the citadel had risks. They could examine the inner workings of their fort and count how many troops were present at the moment. They might also try to provoke the men into attacking them, which would give the Arrogant king the excuse he needed to launch an all-out assault on their position. Still, Argella arriving at their citadel was a chance for Visenya to size up their adversaries and find out the measure of their resolve.

"You are allowed to have Ser Tarth accompany you inside, Princess. However, your knights and men stay outside."

Argella stared at Visenya before turning around and nodding to her retinue. She then dismounted, with Ser Tarth by her side as she approached the south gate. "Open the gate!" Visenya ordered.

Climbing down from the battlement, Visenya approached Argella Durrandon and Ser Bruze Tarth. The knight was just like any other she had seen before, loyal to a fault, strong, and stiff. However, Visenya was more interested in sizing up Princess Argella. She could see the steel behind her piercing blue eyes more clearly. Rhaenys was the epitome of grace, with her slender form drawing eyes whenever she danced, but Argella would come at a close second with her olive dress hugging her curves. She was slightly shorter than Visenya and not as muscular as herself, but she felt just as tall and strong.

"Lady Visenya, I don't mean to trouble you, but myself and Ser Tarth have just completed a long journey. May we have some bread and salt, please?"

_Ah, guest rights. Of course_. In all honesty, Visenya found the whole tradition of guest rights a dumb one. It took some outrageous tale to hammer the importance of that practice lest those who violate it get punished by some imaginary gods. However, this was a great chance for the dragons to find out more about their other adversary. Obliging her request, Visenya motioned a servant forward with bread and salt, from which Argella and Ser Tarth promptly dipped and ate.

"Come to my solar, Princess Argella. We can discuss whatever you came here to discuss there."

"Lead the way, Lady Visenya," Argella nodded.

"But Ser Tarth stays outside the manor house."

Ser Tarth was ready to protest, but Argella again put her hand up. "It's all right, Ser Tarth. She wouldn't harm us as we now have guest rights."

The solar in the manor house was not like the one on Dragonstone, but it was sufficient for the dragonlords. Aegon and Jaenyx would usually sit in the middle two seats, with Rhaenys and Visenya sitting on opposing sides and Orys sitting on the far end. The hearth was rather modest, but they didn't need it during the summer years. As the acting lady of their citadel, Visenya took the lord's center seat while Princess Argella sat opposite of her.

"I must say, Princess. This is rather… unprecedented. A king or a lord would never risk their heirs on a simple parley unless it was of utmost importance."

"You are correct, my lady," Argella replied. "But before we start and on behalf of House Durrandon, I give congratulations to your house on your victory over the ironborn at Rook's Rest."

"Thank you."

"I was told that your brother, Lord Aegon, and his other one, the bastard, turned an army three times their size to dust while also killing the Duskendale and Maidenpool lords." Visenya winced at Argella calling Orys a bastard. _You better watch your words_. "And I can see that the rumors are true."

"What rumors?" Visenya already knew what she was referring to, but she wanted her to be explicit.

"That dragons are not just alive, but just as potent as in the days of Valyria. I initially doubted them, especially when I heard that a dragon the size of Massey's Hook swooped down and turned thousands of men into ash. But as I have already seen your dragon fly above us, there is no point in doubting anymore."

"Quite so, Princess," Visenya nodded in satisfaction.

"With that out of the way, let's get to the important reasons to my presence today. I would have appreciated it if either your brother Lord Aegon or your husband, Jaenyx Belaerys if I remember correctly, were here." _Careful_, Visenya growled in her thoughts. "However, from what I hear of you, you're just as capable as your brother and your husband. So I believe that our words would flow smoothly if we dispensed with all the pleasantries and talked frankly. Would that be all right with you, Lady Visenya?"

"Of course," Visenya forced a smile. _So she would rather talk with men. Does she even know who is she talking with_?

"Over a month ago, my father King Argilac Durrandon sent your father, Lord Aerion Targaryen, a message in which he sought an alliance between our houses against the ironborn. He had heard about what the ironborn did to your husband's men through his agents in the riverlands. As the ironborn since Harwyn Hoare have afflicted my house for generations, we have common cause. Now, I was aware that your brother Lord Aegon was already married to his sister and while incest and polygamy are seen as sinful in Westeros, those do not apply to you as Valyrians."

Visenya caught a hint of disdain from that last word. _So much like her father from what I've heard of him_. She saw Argella just as haughty and condescending as the Arrogant king, and she also was quite unaware of how her choice of words would affect a conversation.

"I have to admit. I was not completely on board with my father's decisions, mostly due to the thought of being a second wife and me having to submit to Valyrian customs, all of which are inimical to how I was raised." Visenya felt her hand clenched into a fist underneath the table. "However, given how my father failed to produce a brother before and after I was born, the survival of my house is at risk. And I am sure that with time, I would have tolerated a polygamous union with your brother and sister while ensuring the survival of my family's name."

Visenya wanted to groan at how ignorant Argella was. She certainly had the nerve to say the words that she was saying, but she was being very unwise at the moment. "What is your point, Princess Argella?"

"My point is that my father's offer for an alliance between Houses Durrandon and Targaryen is still on the table. I would be more than willing to wait for Lord Aegon to return to this citadel so that I may be able to persuade him of the value of this union myself. Once the alliance is made, my father will gladly provide your family a dowry befitting of dragonlords and at least twenty thousand troops in your fight against Black Harren. There is much to be gained."

_What does she know about what it is befitting of dragonlords? And how dare she think that Egg could be persuaded to turn away from Rhae! _Visenya crossed her arms. "What do you think, Princess Argella?"

Argella blinked. "I beg your pardon?"

"You talk of the benefits of the union, but I never heard your thoughts, not really. You seem like a very independent person. There is no way that you would have agreed to do this unless you thought that you could get something out of this proposal." Visenya leaned forward, her arms resting on the table. "So what do you want, Princess?"

A moment passed before Argella relaxed, but Visenya saw a smirk form on her face. "And so, the truth comes out."

Visenya blinked, astounded. "What?"

"Yes, there are things that do not sit well with me regarding you Valyrians. But it's either I marry one of you or marry some pampered lordling from elsewhere in my father's kingdom. Looking upon you, I can see for myself that the stories of Valyrian beauties that my father told of when he was in Volantis were true. Add that to you, your siblings, and your husband being dragonriders, I will certainly elevate myself into a higher form of existence and any children I have with either the men will carry the blood of Durran Godsgrief and of old Valyria, a potent combination. I hear both your brother and your husband are quite the stunners from what I can gather."

Visenya felt dragonfire spread through her heart. _You crazy fucking bitch!_ "You think my brother and my husband will even entertain the thought of marrying you, let alone taking a second wife?"

"Why not? I had to turn down many offers for my hand, because many lordlings just lusted after me and did not care who I really was. Besides, your brother and your husband seem to have very good taste in women, especially Lord Aegon since he ignored the fact that he married his sister."

There was nothing that Visenya wanted to do more than to launch herself across the table, put her hands around her neck, rip out her tongue, and strangle her. Only through sheer force of will did it not come to pass. "You bring up my husband alongside my brother. Your father wanted an alliance specifically through a betrothal with my brother. Why also my husband?"

"To be frank, Lady Visenya, any one of them would do, although I hear that Lord Belaerys is quite the powerful man despite not having any lands because of his control over Valyrian steel."

Visenya slammed her hand down, her patience at an end while surprising the Durrandon princess. "Then you don't know just who you're dealing with, Princess," her addressing of Argella dipped with contempt. "You speak of alliances and dowries, but you forgot to mention one important detail that made us land on this continent in the first place."

"And what is that, Lady Visenya?" Argella looked honestly confused at what she was implying.

"Garaeron Rahitheon," Visenya still remembered the nephew of Aevor Rahitheon who went missing in the Wendwater. "Do you know him?"

"I don't, Lady Visenya," Argella denied.

"He was going to Oldtown to sell some Valyrian steel swords, but he went missing in the Wendwater while trying to reach a boatman in the Grassy Vale. Interestingly enough, he went missing just as soon as Prince Darvin Hoare showed up at Dragonstone with Vaeron Rahitheon, another one of our men who went to sell Valyrian steel weapons."

"Ah, the Unshackled Ironman," Argella said aloud in recognition.

"You know him?"

"He's a slippery character, that one. He once arrived without his father's knowledge to Storm's End to discuss business with my father, only for my father to throw him out once he said a few words out of turn. He was a little too interested in the many tales of how Durran Godsgrief fought the gods in their many storms and how Storm's End was built, which is just a little detail of his strange obsession with magic."

Now this, Visenya did not know. It may have explained how… predatory he looked when he gazed upon the halls of Dragonstone and especially at the stone dragon carvings in the wall. "But that's irrelevant. His father proved unable to control him whenever he led raids in my father's kingdom, but Black Harren could not do anything without stating to the riverlords that he couldn't control his own son. Looks like Black Harren is now finally seeing the consequences of allowing his son essentially a free reign to do what he wanted."

Visenya nodded in agreement, but had to keep the conversation on track. "Besides Garareon Rahitheon going missing in your father's kingdom, we've discovered that several boatmen coming to and from Dragonstone were paid by your father to spy on us, particularly whenever Valyrian steel shipments left the island."

Argella looked startled. "Do you have evidence to support that?"

"Your father knew about Vaeron Rahitheon being kidnapped by the ironborn, but he did nothing and instead used that as a pretext to propose an alliance between our houses. In addition, Garaeron Rahitheon goes missing at around the same time Darvin Hoare arrives at our home. Combined with the fact that several boatmen throughout the Blackwater Bay were paid by your father to spy on us, what makes you think we will accept your offer of an alliance?"

"Now, that is mere conjecture and the evidence is circumstantial, you have no-"

Visenya interrupted. "You said that we should be honest with each other. Are you reneging on that promise? We would not want to see our words tainted in bad faith now, would we?"

Argella scoffed, but her grin got bigger. "There is much coin to be obtained from Valyrian steel. What can you possibly do against us? You may have dragons, but my father can muster thirty thousand men in less than a month, some of whom have much battle experience from the Dornish Marches. You really think all of you have chance against both Black Harren and my father?"

"Your father provoked us by having boatmen spy on us, and your refusal to answer what happened to Garaeron Rahitheon shows that you know what happened to him. That means that your father also knows and is therefore a perpetrator."

"Do you really want to know what happened to him, Lady Visenya?"

Visenya felt her heart sink. "Is he dead?"

Argella sighed in indignation. "I heard that he resisted and killed five men with one of the swords he brought with him. However, an archer shot him in the eye and collapsed on the ground. We made a lot of gold from taking over the deal in Oldtown."

Visenya stood up in anger. "So you did know what happened to him, and you have the gall to come here and still speak of an alliance between us?"

"Look at your citadel, Lady Visenya. You command less than ten thousand men and your brother only won one victory. Your chances of winning against Black Harren are low enough, but it will decrease if you decide to also fight against House Durrandon. Even if you do win against Black Harren, you'll find the stormlords a much more loyal bunch to a Durrandon king than the riverlords to an ironborn. Your family could either accept the alliance my father proposes, or we can storm your island, take all of your people, and have them work Valyrian steel for us."

"Oh, now you're threatening us, in our own home no less?" Visenya raised her voice. "I knew you to be arrogant, but I never thought you would also be stupid."

"Careful, Lady Visenya," Argella warned.

"No, you should have been more careful when you decided to move against us. And now you have blood on your hands. So there can be no alliance between us."

"Hmmm…." Argella shook her head. "So be it. I'll let my father of your answer, although I doubt you speak for your whole house on this matter."

"After they hear of what happened to Garaeron Rahitheon, they will never have peace with you. Although, his uncle is here in this citadel right now and all I need to say is how his nephew died before he decides to kill you."

"You would allow your vassal to violate guest rights?"

"Guest rights imply that you come here without ill-intent, and yet you came here with threats and a confession of your family's involvement in the death of one of our vassals. More importantly, his uncle is a Valyrian through and through, so he would not give a damn about the traditions of Westeros. But out of respect for your station, I will allow you and Ser Tarth to leave this citadel alive. However, you will be foolish to expect the same leniency the next time we meet."

Argella nodded. "Understood. I do hope that you are prepared to fight my father's armies soon."

Visenya said nothing as she personally escorted Argella and Ser Tarth out of the citadel and to her men outside of the gates. She would refrain from revealing to Aevor Rahitheon what happened to his nephew until Jaenyx came back. The Valyrian houses might have responded to her, but she would need his advice on how to deal with the situation, since she had no idea what would happen if Aevor Rahitheon decided to go on a blood rampage against the Storm King.

Seeing the Durrandon retinue disappear further into the distance, Visenya found herself utterly baffled by who she had just conversed with. Argella Durrandon was certainly loyal to her father, which was admirable but her way of expressing was quite foolish. She thought that being a woman in power and having many men pursue her would make Argella a little more humble and careful in how she carried herself, since men would strike down a woman with authority who also practiced indiscretion. However, such experiences must have only made her more full of herself and more bullheaded. She admired that Argella spoke her mind and was unapologetic with how she spoke, since Visenya grew tired of the many times ladies in courts apologized for their words in men's presence. But she was so much like her father the Arrogant king. That could only lead to harder fighting against the stormlords than the ironborn, as the Durrandons would push their troops towards battle despite circumstances sometimes dictating against it.

However, that wasn't what got Visenya so rankled. Argella expressed interest in both Jaenyx and Aegon, not caring how Rhaenys and herself would think. It was bad enough that she saw herself being married to Aegon, as Aegon was quite clear on the Arrogant king's offer and Rhaenys would never allow another woman into their bed. But when she also mentioned Jaenyx… _Jae is mine! No one else will touch him and I will burn anyone who tries to do so_. What's more, Argella saw both Jaenyx and Aegon as a way to become part of a powerful family despite holding disdain for Valyrians. _What the fuck is she thinking?_

Visenya walked over to the spaces where the dragons were. Balerion was still with Aegon, no doubt helping both him and Orys in securing their northwestern approach against Black Harren. However, Vhagar, Meraxes, and Cloudwynd were still here, resting. After rubbing the snouts of both Vhagar and Meraxes, she spent a longer time with Cloudwynd. Blue like the deep ocean and like the colors of House Belaerys, she might have been as large as Balerion, but she was agile and possessed a powerful dragonbreath. She was also surprisingly docile, showing a reluctance to go into battle but more than willing to enter it if spurred on. Taking her husband's dragon's snouts into her hands, she placed her forehead against it and closed her eyes, feeling Cloudwynd's energy flow into her. _Please, Jae. I know you'll be back, but please make it soon. I want to feel you inside of me_.

Visenya felt Cloudwynd snort, her red eyes staring back at her own. It was as if she knew what Visenya was thinking about and seemed quite amused. She couldn't help but laugh while rubbing her snout some more. Dragons were connected with their riders for life, or at least as long as the riders lived, and she couldn't help but wonder whether Jaenyx felt her thoughts through Cloudwynd. _I hope so, because he better come back quick_.

"_My lady_!" Visenya heard from behind her. The other dragons were alerted to the newcomer, but were rather calm about it. She turned around to see Ragaemor Tarareon behind her. "_One of our patrols came back. There's been movement near the Gods Eye!_"

Visenya walked quickly alongside Lord Tarareon. "_What is the report?_"

"_The ironborn have assembled another army and the last report has them crossing the Gods Eye on boats and going along its western shores. There's no doubt that they're trying to bypass Lord Aegon's positions near the north shore and come straight for our citadel_."

"_How many did the patrol count?"_

Lord Tarareon hesitated. "_They lost count after fifteen thousand_."

_Shit!_ Their positions in the northwest was fairly secure after Maidenpool fell and they had a direct approach to both Saltpans and finally Black Harren's fortress. Visenya figured that Black Harren had enough of being humiliated by supposed upstarts with imaginary creatures and was sending a larger force than he sent at Rook's Rest to end the threat at the Blackwater Rush. He already had a large force in the riverlands to keep the region in line, so it was clear he was now just throwing bodies at the dragons in the hopes that his numbers would overwhelm them.

It was quite clever, in Visenya's mind. The approaches south of the Gods Eye were relatively unprotected and the path clear to the mouth of the Blackwater Rush. If they could cross the river that flowed from the Gods Eye to the Blackwater Rush, the ironborn would be able to advance further into the lands around the Blackwater Bay and threaten Rosby, Duskendale, and Stokeworth. From there, it would not be hard to encircle their citadel.

However, the ironborn must have depended on their advance not being detected so early. If Aegon and Orys could reposition themselves further south in time, they would have a chance at blocking the enemy's advance. She had also heard via message sent a week ago about Jaenyx's and Rhaenys' progress in the riverlands, specifically how they got a force of riverlanders to join their struggle. If Aegon, Orys, Jaenyx, and Rhaenys could all converge on the enemy before they crossed the river, they had a fighting chance of repelling them.

"_Lord Tarareon, prepare messages to be sent to my brothers, my sister, and my husband. They must know of these developments immediately!_"

"_Yes, my lady_," he answered with a bow before running off to get the messages ready. In Visenya's mind formed an outline of a strategy that could be used in the upcoming battle. She would have to trust both of her brothers, Rhaenys, and Jaenyx to fill in the details, as they would be the ones to adapt to the actual environment. _I just hope that the messages would reach them in time_.

**Writing the scene with Argella Durrandon took me a lot of time to think about, since I really wanted to give justice to her character compared to canon. Like Visenya, she's a beauty who is very independent, outspoken, and obviously had to deal with being a woman in a society that where men would not allow the opposite gender to have much power and influence. However, unlike Visenya, she grew up accepted among her social circles and never had to deal with being a black sheep. She is also very much her father's daughter, with her haughtiness and loose tongue almost unleashing Visenya's dragon temper. She will be humbled very soon. **

**I was considering writing King Argilac coming to the citadel instead of Argella, but decided on the latter since the Arrogant king would not realistically ride out to deal with a seemingly minor threat and giving character to Argella was a valuable opportunity. I hope you all like that. **

**And Visenya... oh, God. What a dirty mind you have. Her lust and longing for Jaenyx knows no bounds, which is very good for them. We also see Visenya also having great tactical and strategic sense, both of which will serve her very well in the next stages of the Conquest. **

**Next, we see Wailing Willows play out. **


	16. Jaenyx IV

JAENYX IV

Jaenyx and Rhaenys rode on horses provided by Lord Colren Blackwood as they led the promised five hundred infantry and two hundred cavalry towards the Gods Eye. Tarareon and Blackwood scouts had shadowed the large ironborn and riverlander force that had marched from Harren's fortress on the north shores of the lake to the southern shores. They had counted at least twenty-five thousand troops in total, of which over eight thousand were mounted. The mounted forces consisted of a mixture of knights from houses that declared for Black Harren, ironborn who knew how to ride horses, and ironborn riding war chariots. The last one perplexed Jaenyx, as chariots had not seen use in war for centuries. However, Chrass Rivers, a bastard son of Lord Blackwood, explained to him that the ironborn had to use chariots because they didn't have sufficient experience as cavalrymen and that the chariot allowed to them move swiftly during land reaving while providing them a stable platform for their spearmen and archers. "After all," Chrass Rivers explained. "It wouldn't do the ironmen any good if their vassals were the only ones who used horses."

The time Jaenyx and Rhaenys spent in the riverlands may not have yielded much material support for the dragons, but the information they obtained was just as valuable. The past three decades under the rule of Black Harren, who had beggared and enslaved many throughout the region, sowed unrest among many of the riverlords. News about Rook's Rest made many in the Riverlands question whether they should support the dragons' struggle against the ironborn, as Aegon Targaryen and Orys Baratheon both showed that he could be defeated. However, many of the riverlords were reluctant to rebel against him despite not responding to his call because he still had a large army of ironborn straight from the Iron Islands and from sons born through many of salt wives. As long as that army remained intact, no one had the courage to rise up against Black Harren.

One thing that would work in their favor was Black Harren's ego. Already losing thousands of troops to what he viewed as upstarts, he needed to destroy this threat once and for all and soon, or he would suffer irreparable damage to his reputation. Jaenyx knew that having many of his available troops march towards the western approaches of their citadel at the mouth of the Blackwater Rush was his answer to those who hurt his pride.

Fortunately, a Tarareon cavalry patrol discovered their movements before they crossed the river that fed into the Blackwater Rush. Jaenyx and Rhaenys received a message from Visenya that warned of the enemy's advances while also recommending a tactical plan to act on when they do have battle. Jaenyx was… very impressed with how flexible and elaborate Visenya's plan was. The plan overall emphasized adherence to its basic structure while allowing the commanders in the field to change and adapt certain details to fit the current battlefield conditions without seriously compromising the plan's purpose.

Visenya's plan fit with the apt saying: no plan survives first contact with the enemy. Many misunderstood those words as to not prepare a battle plan at all, which was foolish as they missed the point of that sentence. Battle was a very fluid situation with many unknowns and adhering to a certain strategy without adapting to changing conditions was an easy way to be defeated. No one could control how a campaign panned out and commanders throughout history ignored the wisdom of modifying their tactics and strategy to uncontrollable factors at their own peril.

Communicating with Aegon and Orys as they repositioned southwards, Jaenyx and Rhaenys knew that they had to block the ironborn advance at the river, as they had a good chance of halting them before they reached their citadel. However, they also knew that they were outnumbered. Against at least twenty-five thousand ironborn including eight thousand mounted troops, the dragons could only muster a total of eight thousand troops including the Blackwoods that had joined their struggle. They had one thousand and five hundred cavalry, a mixture of Tarareon, Blackwood, and Rosby men, supported by six thousand and five hundred infantry, a combination of Celtigar, Rahitheon, Stokeworth, Bar Emmon, Darklyn, and Mooton troops. Aegon also brought Balerion from the northwest while Meraxes and Cloudwynd had joined his main force ahead of Jaenyx and Rhaenys. A garrison of one thousand men commanded by Visenya along with Vhagar would protect the citadel and keep watch for enemy movements from the northwest and the south until they return.

One advantage of having a smaller force, as it showed at Rook's Rest, was that they could advance faster than their larger adversaries. Jaenyx and Rhaenys rendezvoused with Aegon and Orys at a town on the southern shores of the Gods Eye, having to take a wider route around the ironborn's advances on the western shores. They set up quarters at the town's tower house situated on a hill to the west, which provided a commanding view of the chosen battlefield. However, they had found the town empty, no doubt depopulated to provide labor for Black Harren and they all knew that holding the town was pointless as there were no major fortifications from which they could repel an ironborn assault.

While he saw that Aegon and Rhaenys were tempted to enjoy a… steamy reunion on the top floor of the tower house, Jaenyx reminded them that they would have time for that after the battle and they needed to focus on preparing for when the ironborn arrive. They spent the next few days getting acquainted with the layout of the land around the town while modifying Visenya's plan to the landscape.

Before a council of the commanders, Aegon gazed upon a map of the planned battlefield. "For those who fought at Rook's Rest, remember that we're dealing with possibly the main army of Black Harren. They brought more cavalry, archers, and infantry to the fight while also using their ships to possibly bypass our positions. The focus should be on preventing the ironborn from crossing from the west bank, but the dragons will prevent the ironborn from outflanking us from the Gods Eye. I will entrust my wife Rhaenys for this task, as you're the best rider out of myself, Visenya, and Jaenyx."

Jaenyx was worried about Rhaenys' state of mind. Nearly drowning and killing for the first time almost proved too much for her, which he was a witness of. However, he trusted Rhaenys to do what she had to do and therefore said nothing. "While the dragons will prevent the ironborn's boats from bypassing our positions, Orys will lead the center while Jaenyx and myself will take the flanks. I will be leading the Rosby and half of the Tarareon cavalry on the right flank."

"_Our goal is preventing the ironborn from bringing their larger numbers to bear on us. As they are familiar with Aegon from Rook's Rest, they'll be likely to focus their attack on him. Meanwhile, I will lead the left flank consisting of the Blackwood and the other half of the Tarareon cavalry to get them to cross prematurely towards us while Orys will advance with the center. Expect to shot upon by their archers, so keep your shields raised high and remain in tight formation_," Jaenyx outlined.

"Critical to the plan is to throw the ironborn off-balance, keep them from focusing on one area of the battle," Orys traced his finger along the Gods Eye. "The only reason that they're hugging the shores of the lake is because as long as they're within range of water, they could either withdraw by boat or launch lightning attacks on our flanks from them. Rhaenys will use the dragons to burn the boats before they could reach us and force the ironborn to concentrate on land. They are not made for extended combat on land and the fact that they brought chariots here shows their lack of confidence fighting with competent land forces." Everyone nodded in agreement. "Another part that is key to the plan is to have the ironborn overextend themselves on either flank. Like in Rook's Rest, if we can weaken one of their flanks, we'll have a chance at not only preventing their crossing, but to roll them up. After that, it's just a matter of who can get the bigger claim on corpses."

Aegon clasped his hands. "We all know our parts, but I will suggest something else. As soon as the ironborn arrive, we attack."

That got everyone's attention. "Wait, you mean, attack before they are ready?" Jon Rosby asked.

"Why not?" Orys pointed out. "If we allow them to set up formations, our chances of beating them will decrease. Plus, as we have all the smaller army, they'll never expect us to take the initiative like at Rook's Rest. Once we attack, we can control their movements and their reactions."

Jaenyx nodded in approval. "_I would suggest that you make yourself as visible as possible, Egg. You are the victor at Rook's Rest, after all. The ironborn will charge at you in an irrational attempt to avenge their fallen brothers, which would allow my attack to face less resistance_."

"That's good, Jae," Aegon affirmed with a smile. "All right. Our scouts report that they'll be here in a day. Get yourself more familiar with the layout and land and prepare yourself, for tomorrow will be the battle that decides whether we will triumph or fail against Black Harren. Dismissed."

Jaenyx was left alone with Aegon, who remained gazing upon the map while Orys and Rhaenys left for their quarters on the upper levels of the tower house. "I heard that Rhae found out personally what it was like to kill," Aegon stated.

"Kessa," Jaenyx responded. "_We were ambushed by the ironborn at the Stoney Sept and one of them tried to cleave with an axe. Fortunately, the dragon coat protected her while she was able to get a dagger in his throat._"

"How is she doing?" Jaenyx knew he was concerned.

"_Frankly, I'm worried about her, Egg. First time taking a life is never easy on the soul, but she also knew what it was like to almost die. Both experiences would overwhelm anyone_."

"Will she be able to fight in the battle ahead, Jae?"

"_Egg, the best thing you can do for her is to make her to do work. There will be a time for her to really confront her distress from the past few weeks, but none of us could afford it. Making her work will distract her from the experiences, especially the memories since they will just remain in your mind no matter what you do_."

Aegon sighed. "Will she be the same Rhae that we both grew to love?"

Jaenyx moved next to him. "_Egg, you have to trust that she will be able to pull through this, but what you can do is be there for her. Try to talk to her about her distresses, but don't force it. With the right words and the right attention, she will not only be able to come out of this with her mind intact, she'll be stronger. I did what I could to keep her calm, but you are the one she loves. So, continue to be that person and you might see her emerge whole much quicker than you'd think._" Jaenyx grasped his shoulder in support.

Jaenyx couldn't help but briefly think about the time when his father, mother, and brother had died. He had no one to help him through those trying times except Master Haru, but he responded to his crying and despair by wrestling him to the ground and choking him with a headlock. He struggled to get out and Master Haru told him, "Yowamushi me! Doragun no chi ga iri tte nai!" (_You weak bastard! You're not fit to have the blood of dragons in you_) Jaenyx was still crying when he got enraged and bit down hard on Haru's arm, releasing him from his headlock. After he stood up, Master Haru pointed to him and said, "Ikari ha zetsubou yorimo yuuyou desu." (_Anger is more useful than despair_) He couldn't cry very much after that and didn't allow himself to think much about his sufferings, until he came to Dragonstone. Jaenyx found that loving made it easier for him to help whomever he loved through their own sufferings, something he wished he had and was now trying to be for Rhaenys.

Aegon stood straighter, smiled, and pulled Jaenyx in for a hug. "Kirimvose, Jae. Kirimvose."

Jaenyx returned the hug. "_It's nothing, Egg. Now, let's get ready for the battle ahead._"

"Aye," Aegon affirmed. "Let us conquer."

* * *

Early the next morning, Jaenyx was awoken by Rhaenys, who told him that the scouts have reported the ironborn approaching the river. Dressed in his laminar armor, steel cuisses and vambraces, and ridge helmet, he tucked in his katana and wakizashi to his left side while carrying his hand-and-half sword in his left hand and a lance in his right. This would be the first time he would really fight on the ground, as he trusted Cloudwynd to Rhaenys and Aegon did the same with Balerion. Besides, fighting with the troops would really show that their commander was willing to go through the same risks as they did. Jaenyx could still fight on Cloudwynd and his troops certainly trusted him enough to cross the sea from Sothoryos, but fighting on the ground would send a more powerful message.

Jaenyx knew what he had to do. He repeated to Aegon that he was not under him, but he was not that stubborn to ignore that Aegon was clearly adept at battle tactics and war strategy. While he himself was also trained in warfare, Jaenyx found himself more at home working from the shadows. He was also not bothered by the fact that Aegon was the more popular one due to Rook's Rest, since Aegon had that charisma that was required of great military leaders. Everyone had a role to play in this struggle, and Jaenyx found his, so there was no reason to feel envious and he knew that his vassals would remain loyal only to him.

Jaenyx mounted his horse and rode to the center of the front row of the cavalry at the left flank. Across the river, he could see thousands of ironborn approaching the west bank. He also saw that their right flank, the one in front of his, had a high concentration of mounted forces from armored knights to chariots, the latter holding a charioteer and either a lancer or archer. He also noticed scythes mounted on each of the wheels, to be used against infantry and enemy horses. Jaenyx let out a breath to control his apprehension. _As long as we can maintain our distance, we will be fine_.

Then, a glare drew Jaenyx's gaze to the right, at the Gods Eye. He saw Meraxes, Balerion, and Cloudwynd release their flames onto the ironborn boats, turning many into nothing and the rest on fire. Screams could be heard by those on the southern shores and the inferno was undoubtedly seen by all around the lake. He caught a glimpse at Rhaenys directing Balerion and Cloudwynd as they tore through the boats, fires blazing on the water itself in a mixture of yellow, black, and blue. Such a sight reminded Jaenyx when they first unleashed the dragons on the ironborn at Dragonstone, which was truly a wonderful sight.

Jaenyx turned slightly towards his left, seeing Aegon make his first move as he charged with his cavalry from the hill down onto the ironborn's left flank. Caught unprepared and still out of formation, many ironborn died from the Tarareon's horse archers and the others' lances before Aegon withdrew ahead of the ironborn regrouping. He had made himself as visible as he could, with his distinctive black helm and dragon wings protruding from both of its sides.

_Now!_ Jaenyx tightened the straps of his helmet before taking a breath. "_Cavalry, forward!_" Initially going at a slow pace, they picked up speed as they advanced towards the ironborn's right flank. With lancers in the center formation shaped like a wedge, Tarareon horse archers occupied the flanking positions, with their orders to form a single-file circle while shooting their bows, allowing a continuous stream of arrows to land on the enemy.

"_Charge!_" Jaenyx shouted as he and the others in their wedge formation lowered their lances and struck the enemy cavalry. They had designed their lances to pierce especially plate armor, but they were trained to aim for the head, neck, and shoulders so as to not lodge their lances in the cuirass. That was easier said than done when moving fast on horseback and Jaenyx had never done a cavalry charge before, but he had time to practice riding a horse and how to charge. Whenever the lance moved away from its mark, he adjusted and compensated.

Jaenyx felt his jerk backwards as his lance struck its first target, a knight's helm. He saw blood spill from the helm's openings, confirming that he did at least harm his first adversary. However, as they were in close contact with the enemy, they had to drop their lances and start fighting with swords while on horseback. He drew his hand-and-half sword, a family heirloom called Seablaze by its first wielder Jaenara Belaerys, and began striking at the ironborn cavalry and chariots.

The good thing about the cavalry and chariots were that they did not expect to be attacked by their opponent's smaller cavalry force on the left, with the wedge charge shattering their front ranks while the Tarareon mounted archer circles caused chaos among the rest. So, for now, they had the initiative.

Jaenyx thrust Seablaze at a mounted ironborn's exposed neck, seeing blood spill out of his mouth before drawing it out. He turned to his right and swung downwards on an armored knight. It merely glanced from the armor and did not major damage at first, but Jaenyx recovered by avoiding the knight's horizontal swing and thrusting upwards into the tiny opening separating the helm and cuirass. Feeling the blade sever the spine, he pulled it out and saw the knight fall from his horse as a dead corpse before continuing on.

However, as more time passed, the enemy cavalry was regrouping and he saw the chariots wheeling around and getting into a position to charge into the fray, while also seeing ironborn infantry moving to reinforce their right flank. His purpose complete, he signalled the withdrawal as the ironborn's front ranks were beginning to reorganize. Their return back to the east bank was delayed by the river, but they were able to reform in good order. Jaenyx saw that thirty troops did not make it back alive, but he pushed any sad feelings aside to focus on the battle.

Jaenyx recovered his bearings after feeling blood and mud on his horse and armor to see the center under Orys advance. As expected, the ironborn rained down arrows on top of them, forcing them to get into tighter formation and slowing their advance through the river. However, some arrows made through the gaps in their shields and killing dozens in each volley. The rivers soon turned red with blood while corpses began to float in the gushing waters of the river. To Orys' credit, he maintained the formation and a steady pace towards the ironborn's center.

Jaenyx had to reorient his attention to directly in front of him, as he now faced a combined force of mounted ironborn and knights, chariots, and infantry charging towards him.

"_Archers, maintain fire on them. The rest of you, prepare for a counter-charge_," Jaenyx ordered. "_Do not let them have one inch on this bank, or we're done for. Will we let these mongrels push us back?!_"

"DAOR!" was the response from the Valyrians while the others yelled.

"_CHARGE!"_

As the ironborn infantry, cavalry, and chariots, made their way into the river, Jaenyx led the charge against them, effectively halting them in the water while the Tarareon mounted archers maintained their rate of fire on them. However, as Jaenyx was swinging Seablaze down onto the infantry, he felt his horse get run through with a pike and he splashed into the river. Feeling his helmet gone, he drew his katana with his left hand and began slashing and thrusting at the ironborn around him.

"_Protect Lord Belaerys!_" he heard one shout as more men rushed to support him in the river. Blood drops flew and water splashed as swords, pikes, and arrows found their marks. Ironborn archers on the chariots returned fire, with many of their arrows glancing off or bouncing off the armor while a few of Jaenyx's men were killed at a time. Jaenyx felt his vision blur with each spray of the river's water, recovering just soon enough to block some sword slash, an axe swing, or a pike thrust. The water reached up to their waists, greatly reducing their speed in order to attack or block another's.

Jaenyx found to his detriment that his katana was not delivering its lethal effects as it had before. While useful against unarmored opponents and against gaps in armored ones, he saw that the mail shirts of the ironborn and plate armor of knights and men-at-arms deflected the katana's strikes. Only by quickly reacting and killing them with Seablaze was he able to recover and move onto the next one.

Suddenly, Jaenyx felt a pike pierce through the armor gap in his right shoulder. "Ah!" he yelled as he looked upon the ironborn responsible. He then saw two more ironborn charge at him while kicking up splashes of water and letting out their war cries. Thinking quickly, he cut off the pike at its head with his katana, spun around to get closer to the ironborn, and slashed at his throat with Seablaze. He parried the attacks of the other two ironborn, pushing them away with his swords while charging at the nearest one to his right. As both of them were relatively unarmored, he cut the one on the right where the vessels below the neck were while also spinning around to slash at the other's legs with the katana, the blade passing through the water before emerging with an upward slice that made the ironborn fall into the river. The last saw Jaenyx saw of him was him trying in vain to remain above the surface.

Jaenyx felt a rush kick in as he felt blood come out of his shoulder wound. Reasoning became drowned out by the water splashing around him, steel clanging and horses neighing piercing his ears, and men shouting, instinct threatened took over while muscle memory yearned to determine his body's movements. As he push-kicked an armored man-at-arms into the river and parried another's sword, he controlled his breathing, calming his heart letting the rational parts of his mind resume control. Master Haru told him that emotions and hot blood do not belong in combat, as mistakes and recklessness occurred because of them, and it took him one instance while in the Basilisk Isles for him to realize the wisdom of his words. That was… gory to say the least, and he promised himself that he would never allow his baser emotions take over again.

As he calmed down, Jaenyx saw that they were slowly being pushed back to the west bank. Despite the Tarareon horse archers keeping the ironborn at bay, for every ironborn they killed or drowned in the river, more took his place. Ironborn archers mounted on the chariots started to inflict serious damage as the charioteers urged their horses across. Drenched in blood and water, exhaustion creeped into the faces of the Blackwood and Tarareon men with Jaenyx.

"_Fall back! To the west bank!_" Jaenyx ordered. He had to reform their line if they were to push back the mass that was treading across the river. Fortunately, he could also see that many of the ironborn were starting to slow down, also exhausted. Notorious for reaving and quickly getting out, they were not made for extended periods of combat and their effectiveness had decreased dramatically. Reaching the west bank, Jaenyx yelled, "_Keep firing! Do not let them out of the river!_"

Many ironborn were cut down, as the Tarareon archers maintained their stream of arrows and the enemy cavalry and chariots were bogged down by the river. The men systematically cut down anyone that had made it to the west bank, with Jaenyx forcing a knight off of his horse and stepping on his throat hard enough to crush his windpipe. _Aegon, whatever you're going to do, do it now. I don't know if we can hold much longer_.

Then, a roar pierced through the chaos. Jaenyx turned around and saw Meraxes fly towards their position. Once over the west bank, Meraxes released her dragonfire and incinerated hundreds within a few moments before climbing back up. Jaenyx turned to see that the center under Orys still fighting in close combat with the ironborn's center line, but looked up to see Balerion release his dragonfire behind the army, effectively cutting off their retreat. Panic began to grow within the ironborn's ranks.

Finally, Jaenyx saw the three-headed Targaryen banner rush from the right flank and behind the center. Now seeing the final move of the plan, Jaenyx tightened his grip on his swords. "_Troops, charge into the enemy. Wipe them out!_" With renewed vigor, the remnants of the left flank rushed back into the river and struck down many ironborn while pulling others off of their horses and chariots. A few were cut down by the chariots' scythes, but the integrity of the ironborn army was compromised as Aegon and his cavalry crashed into their rear. A gap between the ironborn's right flank and center was exploited by Aegon as he rushed with his cavalry towards Jaenyx's positions, cutting down many in the process.

Aegon dismounted and began to take part in the fight in the river. He slashed his way through the ironborn before making it to Jaenyx. "Need help, brother?" Aegon asked as he stood next to him.

"_A little earlier would have been nice_," Jaenyx calmly admitted.

"I was busy," Aegon lightly jested.

"_Let's save the talk for after the battle_."

"Aye, let's do that." Jaenyx and Aegon then waded side by side through the river while cutting down their opponents. While Jaenyx used more of his speed, Aegon was all about power as he swung hard against every ironborn block and used his punches. Jaenyx also saw Aegon block an ironborn's axe and punch before headbutting him and running him through with Blackfyre.

But, Aegon failed to see an ironborn rushing up from behind him. Jaenyx reacted too late as the ironborn swung his axe into Aegon's helm, causing him to fall into the river. Decapitating him in one swift motion, Jaenyx rushed towards where Aegon was and pulled him up before he drowned.

"_Aegon, can you hear me? Are you all right_?" Jaenyx shook him. Not getting an answer, Jaenyx pulled up his helm, fearing the worst. To his relief, Aegon's eyes will open and moving. "_Are you okay? Are you all right? You okay?_" Jaenyx repeated.

"Yeah," Aegon managed. "I think I can hear bells ringing."

Jaenyx laughed, reassured. "_Come on! We still got a fight on our hands_!"

Aegon took off his helm, too damaged to wear anymore, while Jaenyx could see a cut on the back of his head. _Any deeper, and you'd be done for. Rhaenys doesn't deserve that._

With Balerion's flame cutting off their escape and with both of their flanks either rolled or crushed, the enemy's center collapsed. Jaenyx and Aegon emerged on the east bank of the river to see Orys meeting them. Although not as drenched in water like Jaenyx and Aegon, he was covered in blood and had arrows protruding out of his left thigh and forearm. His Valyrian steel axe, the one gifted to him by Jaenyx, had pieces of flesh still on its head. What was more, they did not say anything to each other was they surveyed the field.

They were worried about the ironborn's chariots because of the scythes and how fast they could move. However, they saw that they had chosen their battleground well, as the river restricted their enemy's movements and negated their advantage in cavalry and chariots. They had made the mistake of concentrating their mounted troops on their right flank opposite of Jaenyx's, which got them to overextend their lines while the river restricted their movement. They all looked at the Gods Eye to see the burning remains of the ironborn ships, all of them facing the fire of the dragons before they could outflank them.

It was at this moment that Jaenyx began to appreciate Aegon more. He had made a good decision to attack as soon as the ironborn arrived, which caught them off guard and made them react to the dragons. The sheer audacity and willingness on Aegon's part to fight with his troops even though he could have remained in the sky on Balerion… Jaenyx saw his good-brother in a new light.

Jaenyx also glanced at Orys. Not thinking much of him before, he began to recognize that size does matter. Easily the most physically imposing of them, he backed it up by showing bravery and steadfastness to the plan. It was because of him that the center held despite arrows raining down on them and facing stiff resistance from the ironborn's center. Although he still did not understand how he could have came from dragonblood, at least Orys lived up to his boasts of strength and stalwartness.

They all saw Meraxes, Balerion, and Cloudwynd land at the rear of the ironborn army. All of them roared into the air, three roars fusing into one great bellow that echoed through the battlefield. Seeing no point, the ironborn dropped their weapons and surrendered as Rhaenys slid off Meraxes and moved through the new prisoners as she got closer to the three of them. Orys gave her a big hug while Rhaenys hugged Jaenyx and gave him a peck on the cheek. She then turned to Aegon, pulling him into a big kiss while ignoring the blood and water dripping from his head.

* * *

While Aegon was getting his head injury treated with Rhaenys keeping him company, Jaenyx took over in overseeing the remaining ironborn prisoners. He counted four hundred dead on their side along with three thousand wounded. As for the ironborn, out of a near twenty-five thousand troops that came to battle, four thousand cavalry were killed along with eight thousand infantry, with the rest wounded and captured.

Jaenyx stood in front of their remaining leaders, most ironborn but a few of them from the riverland houses that had sided with Black Harren. "I am Jaenyx of House Belaerys, Lord of the Basilisk Isles. What you decide to do now will determine whether or not you return home. Your king, Black Harren, has suffered three defeats at our hands. Dragonstone, Rook's Rest, and now here. In weeks, tens of thousands of men were turned to ash. You have been beaten and are now in our custody. Personally, I don't care whether you live or die, but if you want to go home, bend the knee right here and your wish will be granted."

"You asking us to be oathbreakers?" an ironborn spat.

"Look around you," Jaenyx outstretched his arms. "Not only were you beaten by a smaller army, you were beaten by real dragons. You really think you have a chance against us after today?" That silenced the ironborn. "I would ask that you make the sensible decision. Just know that if you don't bend the knee this instant, your ashes will join the other piles. That is my guarantee."

"So, you're the one they call the Blue Dragon?" a riverlander asked.

"And who might you be?"

"Ser Everan of House Roote of Harroway's Town."

"And do they really call me the Blue Dragon, Ser Everan?"

"Aye."

"Hmmm… well, what say you, Ser Everan? Will you bend the knee and live, or don't and burn?"

Ser Everan Roote bent the knee promptly, as did the other riverlanders. As with the other ironborn, they all remained standing in defiance. "As I expected," Jaenyx remarked. "And quite frankly, I wouldn't mind if everyone of you ironborn burned. _Rhaedar, take all of them to the dragons_."

Six ironborn captains were put before Balerion, Cloudwynd, and Meraxes. All of the prisoners, in chains, watched upon the sight with fear and in wonder. "To all you ironborn scum!" Jaenyx announced. "Remember what you will see, for this is the price for provoking the dragons. We didn't start this war, but we will see it end with the ashes of House Hoare scattered upon the earth. I, Jaenyx of House Belaerys, Lord of the Basilisk Isles, sentence these ironborn captains to die." He stood straighter. "Dracarys."

All three dragons released their flames onto the six ironborn, their screams echoing through the dusky skies before they were revealed as tiny piles of ash.

_Now, let's see what happens after today._

**Big shoutout to Longclaw 1-6 and osterreicher97, for both really helped me steer the story in a good direction. You guys are awesome! :) **

**And here we have Wailing Willows, the major battle that finally shatters Black Harren's control over the Riverlands and the one before Harrenhal. I incorporated elements of both the Battles of the Granicus River and of Issos, with the axe to Aegon's head thing being taken the former. I am getting comfortable writing major battles and this is the first chapter where it is mostly action, so I hope I did it well. As I promised, this will be no cake walk for the dragons and I hope I delivered. As of the action scenes, I took inspiration from the beach battle of Robin Hood with Russell Crowe and the Last Samurai with Tom Cruise.**

**As for the saying "no plan survives first contact with the enemy," that was an old Prussian saying, specifically by Helmuth von Moltke the Elder, probably one of the greatest military strategists that had ever lived and led the Prussians to defeat the Danes, the Austrians, and finally the French in 1870. I really recommend reading up on him, and he's one of the inspirations for Visenya's strategic and tactical mind.**

**Now, we get to see more of Jaenyx's ruthlessness. Killing is just business as usual for him, but he does show no hesitation when he burnt the ironborn captains. After all, the ironborn did start the war. However, we also see a softer side of him, as he wished there was a person that comforted him when his family died, as he tried to with Rhaenys. He also acknowledges that Aegon is more charismatic than he could be, but is not bothered by it since he already knows himself well to not let others worry him. **

**Next, we see more ironborn burning. FIRE! BLOOD! **


	17. Aegon V

**Sorry for the slight delay in the updates. Been caught up with grad school, especially with all of my final deadlines coming this week. So, had to work on that. **

AEGON V

"I promise to be faithful and loyal to House Targaryen of Dragonstone, to never bear arms against any of its heirs. I also promise fealty to House Belaerys, to never bear arms against any of its heirs, and to support the cause of the dragons from this day forth. May the gods help me uphold these oaths," pledged Edmyn of House Tully, Lord of Riverrun, as he knelt before their father, who had arrived from Dragonstone two weeks ago and was more than pleased with the changed circumstances. While Aegon, Rhaenys, and Visenya did all of the work in the past few months from the time they landed at the mouth of the Blackwater Rush, the fact remained that their father was still alive and still Lord of Dragonstone. So, it was only natural that the riverlords pledge fealty to the old dragon.

Despite their father stepping back to allow his children and good-son to run the campaign against Black Harren, Aegon was in some ways glad that his father had returned to assume his lordly position. The last few months made him more experienced as a warrior and commander of troops, but he knew that he was still not attuned to the political machinations that Westerosi lords regularly engaged in. There was a reason that Dragonstone remained outside of the control of the other rulers of Westeros, and that was because their father knew how to maneuver through the various plots coming from around the Blackwater Bay. It only made sense that he would be here in the riverlands, as he knew how to get the riverlords to submit peacefully to the dragons.

From what the riverlords revealed, Black Harren had forty thousand troops at his command to keep the region under control, the majority of whom were ironborn. However, Wailing Willows had eradicated the ironborn's main army and left only five thousand men for Black Harren. But his problems did not end there. Wailing Willows also prompted the riverlords to rise up and declare for the dragons. Many of the important lords such as the Tullys of Riverrun, the Blackwoods of Raventree Hall, the Brackens of Stone Hedge, the Mallisters of Seagard, and the Freys of the Twins had gathered at the Stoney Sept to discuss their move after Black Harren called the banners. With the victory at Wailing Willows, they switched sides and arrived as one to the southern shores of the Gods Eye to declare their allegiance.

If there was one thing that their father Lord Aerion had firsthand knowledge of, it was that the lords of Westeros were an untrustworthy bunch. Values such as loyalty, honor, and some others associated with knightly chivalry were only followed if convenient. While he could not deny that the riverlords had legitimate reasons to rise against Black Harren, their father also understood that they would have done nothing against him to protect what they had, the Tullys not rising up at the first opportunity being proof of that.

However, the same could not be said about Lord Colren Blackwood. Although not contributing all of his levies to Wailing Willows, the Blackwoods were the first riverlord house to give any tangible support to the dragons and were thus very favored in their father's eyes. He did not miss the fact that the relationship between Edmyn Tully and Colren Blackwood was strained due to the latter actually showing initiative, but also acknowledged that Edmyn Tully was the popular one out of the riverlords and was content to have him remain in charge of the river faction.

As Edmyn Tully rose from his knees after swearing his fealty, Lord Aerion grasped his hands tighter and stopped him before giving him a hard stare into his eyes. "Stay there, my lord. My good-son, Lord Jaenyx Belaerys, and my daughter, Lady Rhaenys Targaryen, offered you an opportunity to rise up against Black Harren, but you refused. While I cannot refute your reasons for not taking that chance, your friend Lord Blackwood did and he helped us win. Nevertheless, I heard you are an able lord and popular throughout the riverlands, so I hope that you will put your skills to great use while serving my house. Therefore, I welcome your pledge of fealty and accept you into our service."

Their father turned to Orys, who stood on his right side. "Is that all, son?"

"Yes, father," Orys nodded. They had spent half the day hearing the riverlords oaths of fealty, with the Freys of the Twins oddly being the first ones if their reputation said anything.

"Good," their father then turned his attention to the assembly of riverlords. "My lords of the riverlands, today you have each pledged fealty to my house and House Belaerys as your new rulers. Any lands confiscated during the reign of Black Harren will be returned to you and all of you shall receive recompense for the many decades you've suffered under him. I applaud all of your wisdom and I look forward to the many years of service you'll give to my house. Lord Edmyn Tully, Lord Colren Blackwood… step forward."

The red-haired Lord of Riverrun and the black-haired and grey-eyed Lord of the Raventree Hall took one step ahead of the riverlord assembly. "Lord Blackwood, I understand that your house has a strong claim on the rulership of the riverlands. But Lord Tully organized the assembly that has come here today and proven his house's usefulness. Therefore, neither of you can be favored in regards to the lord paramountcy of the Riverlands. Instead, my house and House Belaerys will continue to govern this region and receive its due in taxes and levies until otherwise decided. My good-son, Lord Jaenyx Belaerys," their father pointed to Jaenyx. "He has volunteered to supervise the riverlands on behalf of the dragons and Lords Tully and Blackwood will answer to him in regards to all matters concerning the good administration to this region. If he does send out a call for war, all of you shall respond and assemble your troops, as you should've done when we first came."

The riverlords winced at their father implying their cowardice. "You both will be proud to serve under us, and you will take that opportunity, if you are wise, to heal the differences between you that have arisen in these last few months. Offer your hands." Lord Blackwood and Lord Tully were still cordial with each other despite the former upstaging the latter caused tensions between them. As they were both watched by their father, they shook their hands and exchanged a warm smile.

Their father stood up from his chair, his arms outstretched. "Now let us be what we are now… friends!" He turned his attention to the servants in the tent. "Let's have the band play music! The rest of you, bring drinks and food for our new friends!"

And with that over, Aegon just saw their father secure the riverlords to the dragons' cause. Visenya was still at their citadel at the mouth of the Blackwater Bay to plan their advance against the Durrandons, but had heard about the victory at Wailing Willows. Jaenyx would soon return to the citadel with four thousand rivermen reinforcements as would Aegon, Orys, Rhaenys, and their father. However, at least for today, they had to remain in the riverlands to direct the final destruction of House Hoare.

Remarkably, the riverlords were able to muster a combined army of twelve thousand troops within two weeks. Aegon mused that they must have told their levies to be ready to march as soon as they made a final decision, either for or against Black Harren. Practically overnight, the whole region south of the Neck declared for the dragons and converged on Black Harren's vanity project at the northern shores of the Gods Eye. There were a few remaining holdouts in the eastern reaches of the riverlands, one of which was Saltpans. Aegon and Rhaenys flew over the town on Balerion and Meraxes, imploring the Lord Hawick to surrender. He initially refused, but Aegon gave him one more chance after telling him of the changing tides and having Balerion release his dragonfire directly in front of the town. Lord Hawick bent the knee soon after without further resistance.

Now with an army of eighteen thousand troops, including the veterans of Wailing Willows and Rook's Rest, the dragons surrounded Black Harren's fortress aptly called Harrenhal and formed a tight siege perimeter. Working against Black Harren was the fact that he envisioned his fortress to be the largest in Westeros, but did not consider how long construction would take. Therefore, the fortress looked half-complete, with only three of its five intended towers erected and only some of its walls rising to their intended heights.

Jaenyx recommended that they storm the fortress or use the dragons to smoke him out, as Black Harren had no real support or armies left to defend him anymore. However, Orys and the riverlords recommended starving him out with a prolonged siege, as they were not confident in taking a fortress of that size despite it being incomplete. Aegon knew that time was of the essence, as Black Harren had called for troops and ships to be sent from the Iron Islands. As long as the ironborn king was still alive, the ironborn threat would persist.

Their father insisted on a parley with Black Harren, which everyone advised against since they held the advantage. However, their father reassured them by saying that he merely wanted to exchange words with the Hoare king, as he fully understood that whatever approach they chose for Harrenhal, Black Harren would not leave the fortress alive. "I would like to see his face when he finds a simple lord occupying a stronger position than he does," their father declared. "What could be more humiliating to his pride than that?"

Aegon couldn't help but chuckle, which the rest of the riverlords and the family also did. Having enjoyed unhindered rule of his kingdom, all that would be left would be his corpse in a fortress whose resources and labor could have been put to better use elsewhere. Instead, his ego needed him to build a castle that would be his permanent mark on the landscape. It would indeed be permanent, with his ashes among the blackened stones of the fortress after the dragons were done.

Aegon, Jaenyx, Orys, and Rhaenys all stood with their father, who waited as the drawbridge to Harrenhal lowered and revealing a sizable ironborn entourage. He figured that the court of Black Harren were in the castle given how many came with him. However, his focus was on the old, grey man in black armor that was at the front of the group. This man had a slightly hunched posture, with wrinkles visible all over his face and his scalp balding. He also had one of his black eyes looking more towards the middle. With the driftwood crown placed on his head, itself barely staying on his bare scalp, Aegon knew instantly who this was.

_I thought Black Harren was fearsome. He's just a frail old man_, Aegon scoffed. _I could easily take him on with either Blackfyre or Flame Screecher in his heart_.

One of the ironborn walked in front of Black Harren. "My lord, I am Elden Hoare, Crown Prince of the Isles and the Rivers. You stand in the presence of the Harren of House Hoare, first of his name, King of the Isles and the Rivers, Lord of Harrenhal."

Their father remained indifferent to the fact that he was face to face with Black Harren, supposedly the most fearsome man in Westeros, as he also saw how weak and frail he really was.

"Before you stands Aerion of House Targaryen, the Elder Dragon, Lord of Dragonstone and ruler of the Blackwater Bay," Rhaenys announced. Their father let out a small grin, amused that he was called the Elder Dragon. "Standing with us is Jaenyx of House Belaerys, Lord of the Basilisk Isles and rider of the dragon Cloudwynd."

Black Harren stared at the family before him. He might have been frail and old, but Aegon saw that the lunacy characteristic of ironborn remained in him, if his widened eyes said anything.

"Quite a host you have, Lord Targaryen," Black Harren addressed their father. "It appears that I was right to keep the riverlords in line by having them work."

"And look where that got you, Black Harren," their father responded, not bothering to call him a king.

Black Harren took offense, as did his heir. "You are speaking to King Harren, dragonspawn. You will address him as 'Your Grace.'"

"He's no king of ours," Aegon spat. "A sentiment that is shared among the riverlords. Your father is the king of nothing."

"Watch your tongue, or you shall lose it," the ironborn prince warned. However, he seemed to not expect Aegon and Jaenyx to draw their swords, Orys to ready his axe, and Rhaenys to pull out her dagger. Only their father's raised hand prevented them from spilling blood.

Their father shook their head in disbelief. "Do you really not see reality? You're in no position to make threats or to demand anything of us. We have nearly twenty thousand men surrounding your castle. You have no armies nearby to help you and your fleet is too far off the coasts to be of any threat to us. The decades you spent oppressing your vassals to build this very castle has got you no allies left. More importantly, we have four dragons that can easily burn you where you stand."

"Our castle can withstand fire, Lord Targaryen," Black Harren attempted in vain to regain some control of the situation.

"Tell that to the ironborn you sent at Rook's Rest and at Wailing Willows, Black Harren," Jaenyx joined in. "Also, your son, Darvin Hoare, foolishly sent his fleet to attack us, all of whom are at the bottom of the Blackwater Bay."

That was when they saw Black Harren's face assume a more fearful expression. "Now, hold on a moment, Lord Belaerys. Prince Darvin was not sanctioned to attack you or your bannerman-"

"It doesn't matter now," Jaenyx interrupted him. "You failed to control your son and now that has cost you dearly. Speaking of which, where is Darvin Hoare? I don't see him here, unless he away like a coward?"

Black Harren did not answer, prompting their father to steer the parley back on topic. "The way I see it, Black Harren, you have two choices. Surrender yourself and your family to our custody and we shall show you mercy. Refuse to do so, we will burn you, your sons, and your castle where you are."

Aegon knew that their father's offer was insincere, since there was no way that he would let Black Harren leave this place alive.

"My castle is made of stone, not wood or flesh, Lord Targaryen," Black Harren answered.

"So, I take it you won't surrender then?"

"Never, especially to dragonspawn."

Their father sighed, but more in relief that Black Harren acted as expected. "So be it, Black Harren. Tonight, you and your sons will die."

* * *

"So, are all escape routes secured and cut, Rhaedar?"

"_Yes, Lord Aegon_," Rhaedar Tarareon nodded. "_We have Blackwood, Rosby, and our own horsemen covering every way out of the castle alongside Celtigar and Tully infantry. The ironborn cannot leave._"

"Good."

"_I'm concerned that Darvin Hoare is not in Harrenhal, Egg_," Jaenyx stared at the castle. "_After all, he's the one that started this mess_."

"We shall deal with him in time, Jae," Aegon responded. "We take the father and brothers, and we'll take what's left. With Black Harren gone, the ironborn will not be in a position to fight again for a long time."

"_I would prefer that there be nothing left of them_."

"I agree, Jae," Rhaenys joined in. "But for now, our priority should be to secure the riverlands and prepare to move against the Arrogant king. We now have more troops and the lands west of the Blackwater Bay are secure."

"And in all honesty," Orys stated. "Sieges would take too long. Best just get it over with."

Aegon nodded. "All right then." He turned to their father. "We're ready."

Their father stood up from his seat and walked over to the riverlord assembly, who were still enjoying the feast and wine handed out to them. "Friends, join us! We have a spectacle." A trumpet herald sounded followed by the beat of drums. Their father led the riverlords to within full sight of Harrenhal, just ahead of the troops camped outside the walls but far enough out of range of any archers.

Aegon could hear Lord Tully converse with Lord Blackwood behind him. "Haven't the dragonspawn done enough damage, Colren?"

"Lord Targaryen never intended to spare Black Harren and his sons. We're just watching the final nail of ironborn's casket being put in," Lord Blackwood replied.

"He probably wants to be certain we get the message that nobody provokes the dragons," Aegon heard him sigh. This was especially concerning, as Lord Tully did not rise up against the ironborn until after Wailing Willows and he had the gall to say his thoughts aloud. _We need to keep an eye on him._

"I understand that all of you wanted to starve him out with a siege," their father turned around to the riverlord assembly. "However, it will only be delaying the inevitable. It will be better to end Black Harren quickly. What you will see is the power of the dragons, which not even the strongest of fortresses could withstand. Let all of you remember this day."

Getting the cue, Aegon, Rhaenys, and Jaenyx mounted their dragons and took off into the air. Getting enough altitude, they circled above Harrenhal and their dragons gave off loud bellows. Jaenyx took the initiative, nudging Cloudwynd downward until they were both level with Harrenhal's towers. Aegon saw blue flames leave her mouth, a continuous stream engulfing the towers while Cloudwynd kept flapping her wings to keep herself level. Then, Aegon saw the towers collapse before Cloudwynd flew back to the main camp.

Rhaenys followed, Meraxes releasing her yellow flames onto the walls of Harrenhal. Aegon saw a circle of yellow form below before Meraxes followed Cloudwynd back to camp. Aegon then nudged Balerion downward, aiming towards the main keeps and structures.

"DRACARYS!" Aegon yelled. Balerion released his black flames onto the rest of Harrenhal, consuming the rest of the structures with fire and an inferno spreading to the entire castle. He flew back to the camp, and landed near Cloudwynd and Meraxes. Walking to where Orys, Jaenyx, and their father was, he stood next to Rhaenys and put his arm around her waist, which she returned with her arm around his. They all saw Harrenhal burned like a melting candle, the vanity project of Black Harren engulfed in flames and faint screams could be heard.

Aegon looked back to the riverlords, each of them looking upon the sight in rapture and fear. Regardless of how they personally felt towards his family, they could not deny what they were seeing at that moment. Despite its incompleteness, Harrenhal was still the largest castle in Westeros and it was burning before their very eyes. With it, the rule of the ironborn was over.

Eventually, they all retired to their tents while Harrenhal still burned. Aegon escorted Rhaenys to their tent. Once alone, he pulled her into a kiss, one full of passion. Running his hands along with slender back, he grunted when he felt Rhaenys run her hands to his cock and squeezed it.

"When did you become this audacious, Rhae?" Aegon kissed her neck.

"That's what happens when you are close to death, Egg," Rhaenys whispered in his ear. "Makes you want the things you love more."

"Anything else you can show me?"

Rhaenys pulled away from Aegon and offered her back. "Want to find out?"

Aegon got the hint, proceeding to untie her laces while not caring that some of them ripped. Yanking down, he paused as he stared upon the bare form of his wife. He felt amazed every time he looked at her, his sister-wife representing Valyrian gracefulness. He didn't move as she pulled his tunic over his head, undid his breeches, and leapt into his arms.

"Fuck me," Rhaenys purred. Aegon carried her to their bed and sheathed his cock into her entrance. Her jerking backward and hearing a moan escape her got Aegon to thrust at a fast and furious pace. Aegon sucked at her neck while he squeezed her breasts, but Rhaenys grabbed his chin and had him look into her eyes. Stormy pairs of amethysts gazed at each other, fire being seen by the other.

Aegon felt the walls around his cock tighten and his core burning, both from the pleasure that was consuming him and from how his muscles were straining from the furiousness of his thrusts. He leaned and put his mouth on Rhaenys', their tongues wrestling with one another for dominance. He felt her arms tighten around his shoulders, trying to keep him on her but feeling they were being squeezed.

Feeling him nearing the edge, Aegon shouted, "Rhae!"

"Egg!" Rhaenys screamed in response. Feeling his seend spill into her, Aegon fell onto her limp form. The pants tapered off, as the waves of calm flowed through both of them. Sliding off of her, Rhaenys turned to him and nuzzled into his side, one arm and one leg over his body. Running her hand over her chest, she snuggled into his neck. "You make me so alive, Egg."

Aegon pulled her closer to him. "You too. I've been so worried for you, Rhae."

"Me, too," Rhaenys looked at him. "But when I saw you fight, I realized that my worries were for naught. You really are a great warrior, Egg. Your sword and Balerion will always keep you safe."

"And Meraxes will to you, Rhae," Aegon kissed her forehead. "You have me, Jaenyx, Orys, and Vis to help you stay safe also."

Rhaenys pecked his jawline. "Egg, can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"You remember the time when I killed that stag with my bow?"

"Of course I do. I couldn't be more proud that you could hunt with us." Aegon smiled at that memory, happy and relieved that his sister was not entirely squeamish at the sight of blood.

"Can you train me how to use it well?"

Aegon looked at her, surprised. "Why do you want to train with a bow?"

Rhaenys looked at him back. "I can never be as strong as you and Orys, or as fast as Jaenyx and Vis. The one time that I killed a man was just… I don't want to be worried about how I would defend myself and I wouldn't want you and the others to continually risk themselves for me all the time."

Aegon leaned his head down to his Rhaenys'. "That's fine, Rhae. You're my wife and you're family. That's what we should do."

Rhaenys shook her head. "I know, but I want to lighten the load on all of you. If I could fight, then I won't have to be afraid whenever we're in battle."

Aegon thought about her request. He loved how considerate she was being, but he was also worried about how the stresses of battle would weigh on her. He knew that with the right amount of time and attention, Rhaenys could become a great archer, as her killing the stag occurred only after two days on the bow. However, he was also worried that she would use every chance she had to enter battle with them. There was also the worry that she was only trying to learn the bow in order to not think so much of her near death experience and the stress that came from her first kill. However, he also remembered Jaenyx saying that the best thing for Rhaenys was to keep her mind occupied and to show support.

Taking a moment, Aegon made his decision. "If that's you want, we can start tomorrow."

Rhaenys smiled widely, giving him a deep kiss before she kissed his neck and all the way down his chest to his length. Aegon chuckled, pleased how his sister-wife responded. He let himself relax as he felt her tongue lick around his cock and pleasure reenter his body.

* * *

The next morning, Aegon, Jaenyx, Orys, and Rhaenys moved into the smoldering ruins of Harrenhal. Their troops had already entered and started taking possession of anything that still had value. Rhaedar Tarareon led them to the ruined great hall, where they found the charred remains of the ironborn court and what they saw was Black Harren's blackened body on his throne, taking his last seat as a king. Orys went over and snatched the driftmark crown off of his head.

"This will be a good addition to my collection," Orys remarked.

"The crown belongs to Dragonstone, Orys," Aegon stated. "But you can take anything else of value here."

Orys shrugged, honestly not caring about a now worthless crown. "So what do we do now?"

"We should collect the swords and take off their Drowned God amulets," Aegon replied. "We'll show all of them to anyone who doubts what happened here and as proof of what happens when you provoke the dragons."

"_I would suggest we bring Aevor Rahitheon to his fortress_," Jaenyx looked around. "_Harrenhal is on good lands and with enough effort, this could be a useful castle in the future._"

"I agree," Aegon nodded. "Harrenhal is strategically located between the Blackwater Bay and the riverlands. Together with Saltpans, Dragonstone and our citadel on the Blackwater Rush will be safe from enemy approach as long as we hold both."

"But wouldn't occupying this castle be a slight to the other riverlords, as this is a symbol of Black Harren's oppression of the region?" Rhaenys asked.

In all honesty, that was a legitimate concern. They had just secured the riverlords to their cause, but they were in a crucial first stage. Any misstep on their part would undo all of the progress they made to bring down the ironborn.

"_I wouldn't worry about, Rhae_," Jaenyx answered. "_They all seen the dragons burn this very castle. That should be enough for them to believe that things will be different with Black Harren gone. Besides, just as we burned this castle before, we can burn it again if we need to_."

Aegon again nodded. "What concerns me is that Darvin Hoare, the main culprit, was not here."

"He'll show up eventually, Egg," Orys continued to fish for the Drowned God amulets and swords, or what was left of them. "When he does, we can choose to separate his head from his body, or burn him like we did his father and brothers."

Jaenyx smiled. "_As your family words say, fire and blood_."

"Jae, when will you move back to the citadel with the rivermen reinforcements?" Rhaenys asked.

"_Today. I have to discuss certain matters with Lord Tully and Lord Blackwood. I will be taking three thousand Blackwood men and one thousand Tully men, who would be useful when we move on the Arrogant king. Vis told me that she had some words with Princess Argella, who's quite the character from her first impression_."

Aegon scoffed, who also knew about Argella Durrandon's visit to their citadel. "Just like her father, but she seems to have a much sounder mind than him."

"_What about you? Will you come with me_?"

"After you, Jae," Aegon replied. "We'll fly back to Dragonstone to let our mother know we're all right. After that, we'll join you."

Jaenyx nodded in satisfaction. "_Understood. I'll see you there._" With that, he left the great hall and Harrenhal. They all heard Cloudwynd roar and her wings flap.

After getting all of the amulets and swords that they could, they piled them onto carts and had Tarareon and Celtigar troops serve as escort. Aegon and Rhaenys then mounted their dragons and flew back to Dragonstone. They were able to make it back home by the day's end, with their mother waiting there.

"My babies!" their mother exclaimed as she hugged them tightly and causing both Rhaenys and Aegon to feel a little embarrassed. Orys was still with their father in the riverlands, to later escort him to their citadel. "I take it we won?"

"Yes, muña," Rhaenys smiled. "Black Harren is dead and the riverlands are ours."

Their mother nodded with pride. "I was worried for a little bit there, but when I heard about Rook's Rest and Wailing Willows, I realized that I had nothing to worry about. I'm so proud of you two. But where's Vis?"

"She's still at our citadel at the Blackwater Rush, muña," Aegon said. "Now that Black Harren is dead, we can start to move against Storm's End."

Their mother sighed. "And after that, everything will be over, I assume?"

"Hopefully, muña. But the dragons are now feared among the riverlands."

"As they should," their mother smiled. "Westeros should know what happens when they think too little of them, and us."

"Don't forget Jaenyx, muña," Rhaenys stated. Their mother still was a bit tense with her good-son despite softening to him after seeing how much Visenya loved him. As for Aegon, he might have understood the tension in the beginning, but couldn't comprehend it now.

Their mother nodded. "Yes, I shouldn't forget him. I hear that he personally led a scouting deep into the riverlands at great risk to himself and to Rhaenys. Very brave of him."

"Muña," Aegon looked at her. "Jaenyx has done much for us. At least show him the love that you show us."

"Eventually, I will." Their mother was being her honest self. "However, I have not forgotten how he married Vis in the first place-"

"Which was not his fault," Rhaenys pointed out.

"True," their mother admitted. "Your father is to blame for that. But, Jaenyx is not my child. I need more time before I can fully accept him."

Aegon sighed, relieved that his mother was ready to fully love Jaenyx like a son but sad that she needed more time before she could do that. _Is a year not long enough, muña_?

"But, let's put that off for now," their mother clasped her hands. "You must be hungry. Come, I'll have the cooks prepare some supper for you."

Aegon and Rhaenys smiled, jumping at the chance to feel like their younger selves for a little bit. They looked forward to a day of rest and recuperation before going back to their citadel for the next part of their struggle. _If the Arrogant king doesn't see sense, we shall burn Storm's End as we did Harrenhal_.

**Didn't want to spend too much time on the Burning of Harrenhal (which was partly inspired by the 1304 Siege of Stirling Castle), but having an exchange between the Elder Dragon and Black Harren was too valuable to pass up. Regarding their father, he's still alive and technically still the Lord of Dragonstone, so the riverlords would have to swear loyalty to him. It was a nice touch since he would be the most politically experience among the dragons and I didn't want to make their father irrelevant, where their father was long dead in canon. However, don't worry, because he will not be the king. Just wait. Plus, the beginning scene was inspired by the OUTLAW KING, a great movie on Netflix that talks about Robert the Bruce. **

**Also, their mother still not fully accepting Jaenyx makes sense since it was an arranged betrothal in the first place, though Visenya and Jaenyx clearly love each other now. For the swords and amulets, they will be important later on. As for Darvin Hoare, we have not seen the last of him yet. The conflict between Lord Tully and Lord Blackwood will have drastic consequences for the Conquest.  
**

**Next, we see the dragons finally moving on the Stormlands. **


	18. Visenya V

VISENYA V

"_Oh, Jae! Please don't stop!_" Visenya was grasping at the sheets of the bed as Jaenyx pushed himself harder into her and held her waist slightly upwards to meet his upright position, his knees sunk into the mattress. He put her knees on top of his forearms to have an unbreakable grasp on her, making his powerful thrusts easier to maintain. She struggled to look at Jaenyx, her position keeping her looking at the ceiling and stars entering her vision as pleasure made her limp on the bed.

Jaenyx had arrived on Cloudwynd along with four thousand rivermen reinforcements, most of them from House Blackwood, the only house south of the Neck to still worship the Old Gods if Visenya remembered correctly. She had some words with their commander, Chrass Rivers, a bastard son of Lord Colren Blackwood. Having the black hair, grey eyes, and pale skin characteristic of the First Men, she saw him as an able leader of troops and a good fighter if what she heard of his exploits at Wailing Willows was correct. He was also very aggressive and well-versed in tactics, immediately helping her plan their advance into the Stormlands. Apparently, being a bastard forced Chrass Rivers into becoming a self-made man, as he seemed to have worked hard enough to enter his lord father's confidence in regards to military matters and had his own keep, which was rare for bastards. Having someone from a Westerosi house who showed initiative was a welcome change of pace for Visenya, as she had a difficult time browbeating Alyn Stokeworth and the leaders of the Westerosi contingent of their army into helping her plan over the past month.

However, Visenya's focus was on her husband. Personally scouting out the riverlands for support, gifting Rhaenys her own dragon coat and comforting her after she made her first kill, and now with Aegon and Orys telling her how he fought in battle… _How is it possible that he becomes more irresistible with each passing day? My husband... my Jae is truly a wonderful man_.

As soon as they were alone in their chambers, Visenya helped Jaenyx out of his armor before she gave him a strong uppercut, both out of frustration of not feeling his embrace for weeks and wanting him to be dazed long enough for her subdue him on their wooden floor. Pinning his arms over his head and straddling his waist, she gave him a forceful kiss until they both had to break it off for lack of breath. With him still lying beneath her on the floor, Visenya reached for the top of his tunic and tore it off of his torso, his firm chest and his toned muscles for her lustful eyes to enjoy and her hands to trace. She leaned down and kissed his neck before running her tongue all along his torso, pulling down his breeches and keeping him nailed to the floor with her lips all over his length.

Visenya felt elated when Jaenyx slightly shook as she ran her tongue on his cock, knowing that he was brought back to their first time whenever they made love like herself. Their wedding night was a time for them to explore each other, see what made them feel the most pleasure and to discover what made them climax the most. Jaenyx happily obliged her need for their lovemaking to be rough and aggressive, but she decided that it was time to increase the intensity. She also was a little bit annoyed that Jaenyx tore up many of her dresses whenever they coupled, not that she cared since she preferred her blouses, trousers, and dragon coat anyway, but she felt satisfaction in returning the favor.

"_You're so delicious, my husband_," Visenya said seductively. "_Shatter into me, Jae_." She squeezed her lips on his tip and pulled him deep.

Instead of cursing, Jaenyx instead felt his mouth open wide and his breathing cease, at least for a moment. _Besides being a great man, he's mine. Mine to twist, toss, and gobble up whenever I want to._

Not done with him yet, Visenya helped Jaenyx up before pushing on the mattress. She pulled her blouse over her head and pulled down her trousers, exposing her nude form before his lewd eyes. As a final touch, she reached for and untied her braid, shaking her hair loose and allowing it to flow past his shoulders. While her braid added to her harsh allure, she found out from her wedding that having her loose made her much more beautiful, a fact confirmed by how Jaenyx just stared at her in awe. Smiling, she walked over to the mattress, laid on her side, and brought him close to her for a deep kiss. Jaenyx finally getting out of his daze and reversing their positions is how she was feeling his powerful thrusts at that moment.

Visenya felt Jaenyx's hand move along her belly and towards her breasts, throwing her head back into the pillows as he squeezed them. "Kessa! _Just like that_!" she moaned. She looked away from the ceiling and saw his amethyst eyes stare right back at hers, but him biting his lower lip showed that he was struggling to maintain his gaze with all of the waves of pleasure going through both of them.

Wanting to get the final move and to give her husband some rest, Visenya turned Jaenyx onto his back, straddled his cock, and slammed her hips on his while keeping his hands on her breasts. He sat up and licked her breasts while she continued to rub his length. She could feel her juices cover it and more of her arousal on her thighs, and she pushed Jaenyx back onto the bed to let him know that she was now in control. "_I want to ride my dragon_," she whispered in his ear.

Jaenyx thrust upwards to meet Visenya halfway, their pace growing even faster as the sounds of their skin slapping reverberated in their chambers. Visenya felt her back arch backwards and heard her moans growing louder, both of which she was unaware of as pleasure consumed both. Nearing the brink, Visenya screamed, "Jae!" as she peaked.

"Vis!" Jaenyx shouted back, the entire keep no doubt hearing their yells. Visenya fell on top of him before sliding off and snuggling against his left sides.

"_I missed you, Jae_," Vis ran her hand on his chest.

"_A month is too long from my wonderful wife_," Jaenyx kissed her forehead. "_So much has happened since then_."

"_Indeed_," Visenya nodded. "_Black Harren has been taken down and we're now about to move on the Durrandons. They will never know what's coming to them_."

"_And we've become stronger as a result, all of us_," Jaenyx gave her a knowing look.

Visenya was curious about one thing. "_Is is true, Jae? Rhae wants to know about the ways of the bow?_"

"Kessa. _Aegon started her on her first lessons on what I assume was a while, but I think she can benefit from learning a variety of different archery practices_."

"_Such as_?"

"_Master Haru, his son Arata, and some others from the Yi-Tish that came with me, they're all very experienced with the bow. I know how to use a bow, although I prefer the sword. She can also learn to throw knives_."

"_Can you teach her, Jae_?" Visenya felt her interest piqued.

"_Not me. That's Arata's specialty. Anything about the bow and knives, you'd go to him. I learned from Master Haru, but it's not my preferred method of fighting_."

Visenya smiled. "_I know that she'll be in good hands, Jae. You've shown that when you were with her in the riverlands_."

Jaenyx shrugged. "_Isn't that what families should do? We would have failed if we allowed them to die on our watch. That's really the only thing that will keep us going at the end of the day_."

Visenya kissed his cheek and worked her way to his left ear, proceeding to nibble at it. Then, she remembered. _I can't hold this off anymore. _"_Jae, I have to tell you something_." She didn't want to end her biting, but this was more urgent.

"_What is it?_" Jaenyx leaned his head to her, concerned.

"_When I talked with Argella Durrandon, she told me what happened to Garareon Rahitheon_."

"_What_?" Visenya didn't want to burden him and she could tell that he was not going to like what came next.

"_He's dead, Jae. I'm sorry_."

Visenya saw Jaenyx freeze in shock, his widened eyes and opened mouth conveying it well. "_How did he die_?"

"_They tried to kidnap him, but he fought back and killed five of them before they were forced to kill him. The bastards then stole the swords and took over the Oldtown deal_."

Visenya felt Jaenyx clench his fist, anger slowly flowing through him and dragonfire being visible in her eyes. "_Does Aevor know what happened to his nephew_?"

"Daor. _That's why I wanted to tell you first before I told him. I didn't know what to do at the time_."

Jaenyx nodded and sighed. "_It's all right, Vis. I will tell him myself, but this makes things easier now._"

Visenya propped her head up, with her elbow on the pillow. "_What do you mean_?"

"_I wanted him to travel to the ruins of Harrenhal and see if we could get something out of that fortress. It's located strategically between this citadel and the riverlands, so might as well use the castle where it is now. Now, it'll be easier for me to get him there_."

"_Why would it be easy?_"

"_I'm not ignorant to believe that Aevor will not go on a rampage once he knows what happened to his nephew, but the thing about bloodlust is that you become less rational and therefore more likely to make mistakes. We cannot afford mistakes at this moment, not when we need to march on the Arrogant king_."

"_So, you'll have him go to Harrenhal and see if we could still use it as a castle_?" Jaenyx nodded. "_Can we use it in the long run_?"

Jaenyx shook his head. "_Harrenhal is too damn large. Even if there was no war going on, the Rahitheons can't just conjure out of thin air the building materials needed to make Harrenhal into a proper fortress, and we're sure as hell can't ask the riverlords to provide them considering the cost already. Black Harren spent thirty years building the castle and he still wasn't finished when we burned it. We'll probably give it to some random lord in the end and let whoever bear the burden of maintaining that place._"

"_But you'll only send Aevor to Harrenhal mostly to keep him away from the Durrandons_?"

"_Not at first, but this is a good excuse. Fighting might not be his specialty, but he can be quite unpredictable whenever someone harmed his family. I have to be sure that I can fully trust my people to perform to the best of their abilities and taking Aevor with us against the Durrandons might not be the best thing for him_."

"_Will he accept it_?"

Jaenyx shook his head. "_Probably not, but he also knows that I have his best interests at heart, so he'll trust me_."

Visenya sighed, relieved that she made the right decision to wait until Jaenyx came back. Despite being able to lead the banners in Aegon's and Jaenyx's absences, her relationship with the more Valyrian houses was still tense. Ragaemor and Maerys Tarareon were easy to get along with, especially the latter since she was just as fiery and assertive as Visenya. Aevor, his sons and daughters, and his nephews and nieces were very eccentric and too consumed with their work, so they were hard to approach in general.

As his cousin and thus the only blood relative left after his parents and brother died, it was easy for Visenya to get on a first-name basis with Taygor Leniar as she was now family. However, he stated very clearly, "_Only after you give birth to his child will I fully embrace you as blood. I don't care if it's a boy or a girl, but give him children_." She shouldn't have been shocked given that their betrothal had conditions, but to have him say that directly to her face… At the same time, Visenya wasn't angry since Jaenyx's cousin was concerned for the continuation of the Belaerys line and he was indifferent in regards to their child's gender, given the Valyrians rather equalistic social views and something that she was grateful for.

Their father asked when she would be with child, their mother tentatively asking for her potential grandchild, Rhaenys, Aegon, and Orys desiring to be an aunt and uncles. She was thankful for Jaenyx because he didn't push her and was satisfied with spending time with just her, but the others' expectations were starting to get to her. Given how… often they were engaged in lovemaking, she couldn't blame them for having such wishes and was touched at how happy they were for that. Yet, she didn't like it when she felt others were pushing her. _But I'm a dragon, and only other dragons can make me feel this way_.

Visenya loved Jaenyx, and only recently did she begin to understand the reality of his situation. He was the only one left of House Belaerys, one of the seven most powerful dragonlord families of Valyria. If he died without producing heirs, the line will end and with it the last major remnant of a great civilization. Without heirs, the Valyrian houses that came with him would probably leave elsewhere as the only thing that tied them to Dragonstone was Jaenyx's union with her. The past year showed to all that a united group of Valyrians can bring down kings and lords while accomplishing wonders, but if they were divided…

But besides the loss of Jaenyx's Valyrian houses getting her apprehensive, Visenya didn't want things to end with him. If they had sons and daughters, the wonderful man that was her husband would live on in their children and the future of the dragons would be in good hands as Jaenyx would be present for them. As he had successfully led his vassals before turning twenty, he definitely had the potential to be a great father. The thought of other dragons joining them, with both of them training all of their children how to be warriors and to be dragonriders, warmed her heart.

"_Jae, I want to tell you something_." She saw Jaenyx stare at her. "I'_m ready_."

"_For what_?"

Visenya took a moment to gather her thoughts. "_I'm ready to have children with you_."

Jaenyx raised an eyebrow. "_Are you sure, Vis?_"

Visenya nodded. "_I was fearful of having riñar since I always thought that I would be married to some random lordling, but we're both dragons. I want to bear our dragons, Jae_."

Visenya saw Jaenyx give a sad smile. "_I'm touched, Vis_."

Visenya blinked and felt frustration enter her mind. "_Is that it? You're touched_?"

"_I'm sorry. That came out wrong_," Jaenyx shook his head quickly while pulling her hand up to his lips and kissed it. "_I'm happy that you're ready to have a family with me_."

"_But_?" Visenya raised her eyebrow.

"_Before I came to Dragonstone, I was alone, with only Taygor by my side. For five years, I lived without my kepa, my lēkia, and… my muña._" Visenya saw water form in his eyes, tearing at her heart since she understood that the loss of family would never leave him. "_And I had to learn how to do so much without them. I'm… scared, Vis. I don't want our riñar to grow up with memories of their parents dying in front of them, with their father-_"

Visenya pulled him into a deep kiss, willing those thoughts away from his mind. "_If that's the reason why you're afraid of having riñar, then I have to remind you of where you are now_."

"_What do you mean?_" Jaenyx was confused, which nearly got Visenya to become more pissed but she took a moment to calm the dragonfire in her.

"_You have Egg, who sees you as the brother he always wanted to have besides Orys and will fight to protect you. You have Rhae, who we all know is the little sister that you always sought. I know you and Orys don't have the best relationship, but when push comes to shove, I am sure that he will be there to defend you. Both my kepa and muña will protect their family no matter what. Most importantly, you have me. Just as you've become the love I always wanted to have and the other half of my heart, I know you feel the same for me. All of us will keep our riñar safe from harm and we will also fight hard to be there for our children until we're old and grey. So what is there to worry about, when you have so many to fight for you and me_?"

All the while, Visenya kept her hand on Jaenyx's cheek to keep him focused on her. Dragons went after they wanted, but Visenya knew that she had to be careful and considerate with Jaenyx because she fully understood why he was hesitant to go after things that would bring joy. It took a year after she married him to fully allow happiness into her life because she had not fully experienced it and was afraid it would be taken from her. For Jaenyx, it would take longer since he saw his family die, but she could tell that he was beginning to move forward.

Jaenyx sighed, but a small smile formed on his face. "_If that's what you want, all right. Let's have a baby dragon._"

Visenya gave him a huge grin. "Kirimvose, Jae," she pulled him into another deep kiss. "_Shall we continue_?"

"_On top of me_?" Jaenyx asked.

Visenya shook her head, letting out a smirk before rolling onto her chest. "_Take me from behind, Jae_."

Jaenyx sat up instantly, elated at how much submissive she was being. As Visenya positioned herself on her hands and knees, she bent down and stuck her ass up in the air. She looked behind her shoulder and saw Jaenyx gaze at her ass while rubbing his length. She had to suppress a giggle, but was very amused at her husband's reactions.

"_Are you just going to stare at my ass_?" Visenya jested.

"_Maybe. It is a wonderful sight after all_," Jaenyx jested back. Visenya rolled her eyes playfully at him while letting out an amused laugh, but her next thoughts were interrupted as he leaned down and licked at her entrance.

"Oh, gods!" Visenya moaned and backed herself up, trying to get more of his tongue against her cunt. Before she knew it, Jaenyx pulled away. He kissed both of her buttocks before settling in behind her. He lined his cock up with her sopping wet entrance, slowly pushing it inside and making both of them release loud moans.

Jaenyx set a slow pace initially as he peppered her shoulder and back with kisses. His hands were on her hips but they occasionally roamed her body. They fondled her breasts, caressed her ass, and rubbed her clit.

"_I'm not a ragged doll, Jae. Push more into me! Fuck me harder!_" Visenya yelled.

Jae obeyed, thrusting into her at a faster pace. Visenya's back arched as he continued to pleasure her with his cock and she muffled her scream by burying her face in her pillow. Her entire body shook as Jae spurted his seed deep inside of her a second time. Jae bit down on her neck to suppress his grunts as they both tumbled off the edge together.

Visenya collapsed on the bed, panting heavily. Jae rolled to his side and laid down beside her. She moved closer and rested her head on his chest and entwined their legs. Their breathing eventually evened out and calmed as they let the exhaustion from their long lovemaking take hold and push them into the waiting embrace of sleep.

* * *

"_You sure this will work_?" Visenya whispered.

"_I'm certain of it, Vis_," Jaenyx murmured. "_They'll never expect something like this_."

"As much as I like that you're being crafty about this, we can't just keep tip-toeing about in the Storm kingdom," Aegon kept his voice low as the three of them walked carefully up to the walls. "We have to meet strength with strength with the stormlords."

"_There'll be a time for everything, Egg_," Jaenyx replied. "_At least this way, we can surprise them and have them react to us_."

The last three weeks was a busy time for the dragons. After assembling their army at the mouth of the Blackwater Rush, the war council debated on the best approach against the stormlords. A majority, including Jon Rosby, Alyn Stokeworth, and Ser Everan Roote advised making their way through the forests to their south and building a bridge across the Wendwater to make transportation of their troops easy. That way, they'll have a direct route to Bronzegate and then Storm's End. However, Visenya, Chrass Rivers, and Jaenyx pointed out that their proposed route would be an approach their enemies would most likely predict. Going around towards the Shipbreaker Bay or to Cape Wrath was strongly advised against, as they had no secure way of resupplying their troops by ship and they'd be surrounded by lords who were very loyal to a Durrandon king.

That was when Daemon Velaryon suggested that they sail down the Wendwater to a spot close to Bronzegate, where they would land troops, secure the river crossing, and construct a bridge. Most found that approach viable, but in order for that to work, they would have to take control of Haystack Hall, seat of House Errol. Haystack Hall would not be an easy castle to take, as it was situated on a hill that was covered in trees and surrounded by thick forest. The castle also held a commanding view of the southern banks of the Wendwater, meaning that any ships sailing in the river would be spotted.

To overcome this obstacle, Jaenyx proposed a sneak attack. A group of troops would launch a two-pronged attack at night on the castle, a few scaling the walls and then opening the gates for the rest to enter. Once past the gate, it would not be hard to secure the castle.

Aegon agreed to the plan, as did Visenya, Chrass Rivers, and Daemon Velaryon among others. Orys was uncertain, as he did not like having to sneak around the stormlords when Westerosi customs dictated that combat be determined by strength against strength. Only after Aegon convinced him of the soundness of the plan did he come around.

Departing before dusk, a contingent of five hundred troops led by Aegon and Orys crossed the Wendwater by boat and moved silently through the woods towards Haystack Hall. Rhaenys would stay with their father at the citadel, partly to help him manage affairs, but mostly to continue her archery practice with Arata Haru in Aegon's absence. Meanwhile, Jaenyx volunteered to open the gates once inside the castle. Not wanting to be separated from him again, Visenya stepped forward. Aegon had agreed to the plan mostly because he wanted to see what it was like to be involved in what was called "secret war." Only, while they were about to take on a larger force that was more well-equipped and more martially-inclined than their own, they would be attacking instead of defending.

Meanwhile, twenty troops led by Visenya, Jaenyx, and another of Konno Haru's sons, Kenzou, crept toward the walls. They were all dressed in black cloaks and wore masks made up of black cloth that covered everything except their eyes. Any skin that remained visible from their masks was covered black paint, as the skin could reflect from any light. They hugged the walls and after seeing a few guards on duty, Jaenyx and Kenzou Haru pulled out ropes and metal hooks, throwing them up to the battlements.

Visenya learned that this was a common tactic of the shinobi, assassins from Yi-Ti that excelled in the "secret war." Konno Haru was a shinobi as were all of his sons since there was no future for them as drifters, but they became adept as shinobi and Konno Haru taught Jaenyx everything he knew. Once a few men climbed onto the wall, they would use stealth and speed to kill any guards who were still awake and then signal the rest to move in. They couldn't use dragons, as they would defeat the purpose of stealth and they needed to maintain the element of surprise.

Securing the ropes, Jaenyx and Kenzou nodded to the rest and started climbing. Visenya joined after her husband, fastening her foothold on the wall and was careful to maintain her hold on the rope as she walked up the wall. The rope was secured well, as all Visenya needed to focus on was to not lose her footing or her grip. But they had to move fast since they had only a small window before a guard found the hooks.

Luckily, Jaenyx, Visenya, Kenzou, and a few others made it to the top of the walls. One of the guards spotted them and tried to yell, only for Kenzou to pull out his dagger and throw it, the blade lodging into his throat and filling his mouth with his own blood. They helped the others up on the walls and started to swiftly kill the rest of the guards on duty.

While Jaenyx and Kenzou used their Yi-Tish swords to slash at necks and decapitate, Visenya went in the other direction and slashed at a guard with Dark Sister, cutting his throat before she kicked him to the ground. Before long, all of the guards on the wall were dead and the next phase of their plan was ready. Some of the shinobi carried small crossbows, which would be useful in cutting down any who tried to enter the courtyard.

Jaenyx, Visenya, and Kenzou climbed down a flight of stairs to the courtyard and took on another few guards. Visenya used an upward slice that struck a guard's leg, bringing him down before she lodged Dark Sister into his heart. With the courtyard still asleep, all three moved carefully towards and opened the gate. Kenzou took out his bow, used a nearby torch to light it, and let loose his arrow.

_The signal. Here it comes_, Visenya thought. Having hidden themselves in the forests around the castle, Aegon, Orys, and the troops emerged out of hiding and used the cover of darkness to charge through the gates. The troops let out a war cry, thus awakening the sleeping guards in courtyard and in the keep.

"Come on!" Orys yelled as the rest charged through the gate. Some were killed by the shinobi's crossbow bolts shot from the walls, but others found themselves overwhelmed by the mass of soldiers coming upon them and taking them out of their slumber.

Visenya saw Orys swung his Valyrian steel axe down on one Errol guard, with a force so strong that it dug deep into his shoulder as to leave a deep and nasty cavity that no doubt cut his heart. Orys then blocked another's sword swing with his axe, its steel shaft preventing the sword from chopping it in half and thus allowing Orys to push the sword away and stun him with a strike with the shaft against his forehead. He then used the distraction to swing the axe to his neck, nearly chopping the head off. One of the guards got too close for comfort for him, prompting Orys to switch grips and use the bottom of the shaft to hit him away while using the axe's head to get cuts into his left arm. Once some distance away, he then caught his attacker's sword with the axe, pulled the shaft down and thus ripping the sword from his hands before pushing the axe's head deep into his throat.

As for Visenya, she parried an Errol guard's spear with Dark Sister before she spun around and slashed at his neck, severing the vital blood vessels there. She almost missed seeing another swing his sword down at her, but she then remembered that the blade was not the only part of the sword. Acting quickly, she grabbed at the blade with her left hand, careful not cut herself too deeply, but she used her right hand to push the hilt directly into the guard's temple, stunning him. Still holding the blade, Visenya thrusted Dark Sister through his exposed armpit and deep into his torso, cutting through his lung and several vessels in the process. Pulling it out, she push kicked another guard away and closed the distance fast enough for her to stick Dark Sister into his mouth, the blade coming out the back of his head.

Having quickly subdued the guards in the courtyard, the troops and shinobi moved quickly into the keep. While Jaenyx, Kenzou, and Orys moved towards the other parts of the keep, Visenya and Aegon moved towards the great hall.

"Arm yourselves! Arm yourselves!" she heard one of the guards shout to his comrades, who were still lying on the floor of the great hall. They only barely stood up when Visenya, Aegon, and others charged into the hall.

While Visenya took care of the guards, Aegon swung Blackfyre diagonally down at a barely dressed Errol guard, killing him instantly. Seeing another attempt to thrust his sword at him, Aegon jumped backwards while swinging his sword away from him. The Errol guard tried to swing downward on him, which blocked with Blackfyre while his left hand was on the blade, him not having to worry about cutting his hand since he wore a steel gauntlet. Pushing the blade away, Aegon ducked as the Errol guard tried another swing, with Aegon feinting a strike before spinning near the ground and bringing Blackfyre up and striking back with a horizontal cut to his belly, with blood splattering from the strike. Aegon then parried another Errol guard's sword, but pushed Blackfyre down along his opponent's blade and allowing him to slice across his neck.

Within moments, all of the Errol guards were either dead or subdued. "Stay down, dog!" Visenya kicked a guard hard in the face after he tried to reach for an axe.

Visenya and Aegon made their way to the lord's chambers, finding more corpses and captured guards along the way. They then saw Jaenyx and Kenzou waiting outside the door. Nodding to each other, they entered the chambers and found who they assumed to Lord Errol still in his bed.

"You Lord Errol?" Visenya asked firmly. Getting a nod, she continued. "Haystack Hall is now under the control of the dragons. Most of your guards are either dead or about to put in chains. But you can get out of this alive."

"How?" Lord Errol grasped his sheets.

"Simple," Aegon stepped in. "Bend the knee and we'll show you mercy. Refuse, and we kill you here right now."

Lord Errol breathed heavily, in fear of his predicament. "You really think you have a chance against King Argilac?"

"More than a chance, Lord Errol," Jaenyx replied with confidence. "I assume you know what happened to Black Harren."

Lord Errol snorted. "Probably all of Westeros knows. But you enter the domain of the Durrandons at your own peril. We're not ironborn and we stay loyal to our king."

"So I take it you won't bend the knee?" Aegon asked with concern.

Lord Errol shook his head. "You've taken my home and you've probably taken my family also. I'll die before kneeling to dragonspawn."

Visenya sighed in resignation. "As you wish, Lord Errol." She turned to Kenzou and switched to nihongo. "Kare ni hayai shi o atae nasa i, Kenzou-kun _(Give him a quick death, Kenzou_)."

"Hai, ojousama (_Yes, my lady_)," Kenzou bowed before he slashed his katana across Lord Errol's neck, his head taking a few seconds to fall off.

Aegon let out a breath. "So, now that we have secured Haystack Hall, we should start building the bridge as quickly as possible."

Visenya nodded in agreement. "Yes. Once the Arrogant king hears what happened here, he'll send an army against us. We need to get as many troops across the Wendwater before that happens."

"_In the meantime,_" Jaenyx cleaned his blades with a rag. "_I'll use this castle to send out scouts to get more information of the land and the forces we'll be going up against. We should also bring one of our dragons here to see the enemy from the air_."

"We should bring Cloudwynd and Vhagar here then," Aegon said. "Two dragons will be better than one. Balerion is too big and therefore will be spotted while Meraxes needs to protect the citadel."

"Agreed," Visenya replied.

Orys came into the chambers and saw the decapitated corpse of Lord Errol. "Oh, shit. That was quick," he remarked.

"Had to be done, brother," Aegon shrugged. "We gave him a chance to live and he didn't take it. Besides, I trust you have his family in custody." Orys nodded. "Good, we'll hold this fortress while we send out advance parties. We need to forage as much as we can before we can begin our next move."

**That was probably the largest chunk I've devoted to Visenya's and Jaenyx's lovemaking, but I hope that wasn't too distracting. Here, we see Visenya showing that she's ready to have a family with him and Jaenyx beginning to move on from his family's death. Their bond can only get stronger from there. **

**I was struggling to give a good start to the Stormlands campaign, but I didn't want to start off with a large battle yet. I then realized that my Yi-Tish characters were underutilized, so I decided on a ninja-like attack on Haystack Hall to really introduce them. The taking of Haystack Hall was inspired by the Battle of Stony Point (1779) under General "Mad Anthony" Wayne with a mix of the OUTLAW KING and how ninjas would infiltrate castles. I also wanted to showcase Orys', Aegon's, and Visenya's fighting styles here, which I didn't show much before, so I hope I did it all right. **

**There will be more challenges to the dragons as they advance to the Stormlands. Unlike the riverlands, the stormlords are much more loyal, much better equipped, and much more experienced in battle due to the wars against the Dornish. While they have dragons, they also have to really consider the geographical obstacles of the stormlands, which is more mountainous and filled with thick forests. So, they'll be more battles and harder fighting on their part. But rest assured, the Arrogant king is on borrowed time. **

**Next, we have Rhaenys training to be an archer and then experiencing something else that connects her to an ancestor that brought them to Dragonstone. I'll let you guess who and what it is. **


	19. Rhaenys V

RHAENYS V

"_What the fuck is that_?!" Konno Haru yelled at Rhaenys in his heavily-accented High Valyrian as she ran along the circumference of the citadel with buckets filled with water. She was warned not to spill a single drop, or she would do it again. "_Faster, you cunt! Faster!_"

Had this been any other person, he would have had his tongue cut out for speaking in such a manner to a lady. But, as Quenton Qoherys was still at Dragonstone to protect their home and with Jaenyx and her siblings in the Storm kingdom, Rhaenys only had Konno Haru and his eldest son Arata to train her in the ways of the bow. They couldn't speak the common tongue at all and the only other tongue they knew was High Valyrian, which she understood completely but couldn't speak well at the same time. Seeing that and given that she also did not speak nihongo, Master Haru ordered in High Valyrian, "_If you're going to learn the ways of the archer, you will do what I say when I say it. Whenever we're training, I expect you to give your all or you'll just be wasting my fucking time. For now, the only words that I want to hear from you is "Hai, sensei." Is that understood_?"

"Hai, sensei," Rhaenys mumbled.

"_Stop mumbling! Is that understood_?" Konno Haru asked again, with more firmness in his voice that time.

"Hai, sensei," Rhaenys affirmed more clearly.

"_I cannot hear you, you dragon bitch! Is that understood_?!" Konno Haru yelled.

Rhaenys felt dragonfire emerge in her insides and wanted to slap him hard in his face for addressing her in that way. Nevertheless, she stood straight. "HAI, SENSEI!"

Rhaenys didn't think much of Konno Haru when she first saw him on the ship that ferried Jaenyx to Dragonstone, and their interactions were far and few over the past year. But here, she saw Haru as a nasty bastard who clearly did not care that she was a highborn. Despite training the boys hard, Quenton Qoherys maintained decorum whenever he talked to Aegon and Orys. Then again, as he was from Yi-Ti, he was not bound to the Westerosi manner of addressing highborns. Moreover, Konno Haru and his son Arata were far more extreme in terms of training methods and way of thinking, with even the smallest infraction being grounds for them to cane their trainees. Fortunately, they were smart enough to not go that far with Rhaenys without getting severely reprimanded by their father, but that didn't stop their verbal assaults on her.

Both Konno and Arata Haru said that before she could start training with the bow, Rhaenys had to improve her endurance, her arm and upper-body strength, and mental fortitude. Rhaenys remembered when she was trying to explain the time she killed a stag after only two days of training on the bow.

"_I… shot… a… stag…. with… bow... after_-" Rhaenys attempted to say clearly in High Valyrian.

But Konno Haru responded with, "_Uh, wha wha wha wha wha what?_"

Rhaenys tried to continue, "_Two… days-_"

" d," Konno Haru uttered while mocking her slow speech. "_What of it?!_"

Rhaenys didn't know if she could become more angry with how Haru derided her. No one ever talked to her that way.

"_What you did in the past means shit to me, dragon cunt!_" Konno Haru shouted while he leaned forward close enough that their noses almost touched. "_You do as I say, you will be a good archer and nothing in the past will matter. _Wakari masu ka?!

Rhaenys sucked in her pride and merely responded with, "Hai, sensei!"

"_Now, go run up that hill and run back down_," Konno Haru pointed to the southern hill of their citadel.

"_I… no… proper_-" Rhaenys tried to explain before being cut off again.

"_Run now!_" he ordered. Rhaenys was so frightened by his tone that she obeyed immediately.

Konno Haru had her run up that hill for the next half day, all the while getting confused stares from the other troops and lords as to why a lady of House Targaryen was running in the first place. Rhaenys didn't know what he said in response, but his shouts were more than enough to dissuade them from asking further questions. By the end of it, her feet had blisters and her dress dirtied from all of the falling on the dirt as she ran down the hill.

Rhaenys' "training" had went on uninterrupted for the past three weeks. During that time, she had heard of the taking of Haystack Hall, allowing their troops a secure crossing of the Wendwater and making possible their construction of a bridge. Vaeron Rahitheon, one of Aevor Rahitheon's nephews and the victim of Darvin Hoare, was sent to oversee its construction. The last report she read on the advance into the Durrandon domains was that they were near Bronzegate. Even she understood that with Bronzegate secure, the road to Storm's End would be open. It was an approach that their enemies would definitely expect, but she was confident that her good-brother and siblings would find a way to throw them off guard.

Even a few weeks into the "training," Rhaenys still didn't touch a bow. All the while, she endured more of Sensei Haru's abuse. Words like "dragon cunt" and "dragon bitch" echoed in her ears the whole time, and she lost count of how many times she wanted to lunge at his throat and choke the life out of him. _Wait a moment. Why do I want to do that? Why am I thinking such things?_

At the end of the last lap around the citadel, Rhaenys was out of breath but carefully lowered the buckets onto the ground.

Konno Haru looked at them closely. "_You dropped some water, my lady_," he observed.

Rhaenys softly groaned. "_I… tried… best-_"

Konno Haru clapped in front of Rhaenys' face, wise enough to not slap it like he did with the others. His clap was so loud that it rang in her ears. "_I don't give a shit if you tried. Trying is useless if you fail to perform even the smallest task properly._"

_I want to fucking kill this guy_, Rhaenys thought angrily.

Konno Haru stopped mid-sentence and stared closely at her. "_What are you thinking now? Why are you distracted_?"

Rhaenys gulped. "_Nothing_," she managed to say.

"_Bullshit_," Haru retorted. "_What are you thinking_?" Rhaenys clenched her teeth, which he noticed. "_Oh, now I understand_," he nodded in understanding. "_Do you want to kill me_?"

Rhaenys let out a strong exhale through her nose. "Hai, sensei." She expected more berating from Haru, as she had just admitted her true thoughts and it was only natural for him to strike back at her for such defiance.

Instead, Haru smiled. _What are you smiling about_, Rhaenys thought. "_And so, the truth comes out. You think this is nonsense, my lady?_" he asked in mock deference at the last one. "_You wanted to learn the bow, but instead, I am making you do things that only servants do and your delicate little body can't handle it when you have to get down and dirty. Is that right_?"

Rhaenys maintained her stare at Haru. She didn't say anything that confirmed what she thought of all that Haru put her through, but she didn't need to.

"_Let me explain something to you, Lady Rhaenys, something that I hope that your soft mind could handle._" Haru stood straighter and crossed his arms. "_You think growing up in a noble family and living a carefree life makes you a good person? You think that the events in the past weeks would make you a stronger woman? You believe that nearly drowning and taking your first life makes you wise as to what the world is? Well, let me say something to you, woman. All of that means shit! Especially to those that live in the real world!_"

_What does this have to do with training_, Rhaenys pondered. However, she continued to listen.

"_You want to learn how to be an archer, but to learn the way of the bow, you have to develop everything else in your body. You have to have speed, since how fast you can draw and let loose an arrow can determine life and death. You have to have endurance, since an archer must be able to continue drawing the bow until after the battle is done. Most importantly, you need strength of mind, as you may not have the luxury of distance between you and your target and how you act when your opponent comes close to cutting your head off will determine if you live to the next day. That is what you highborns don't really think about. The details. When it all comes down to it, it won't matter if you're a lady. You either the better one in battle, or you can be the next corpse rotting for the flies to feed on!_"

Rhaenys listened to all of this carefully. The more Haru spoke, the more everything made sense, and the more she began to realize how little she really knew about the world.

"_You think that my insults to you are bad, Lady Rhaenys? Well, guess what. There are men who would look upon you and tear your clothes from your body before they hump you_," Haru continued. Rhaenys felt her eyes widen, shocked at how Haru said that men would rape her. "_You think that having bleeding feet is painful? That's nothing compared to chopped limbs and gouged-out eyeballs. I am sorry to say this, but you're just a piece of meat and it doesn't matter that you have the blood of dragons. The only difference between us and pigs is that we can talk and think. Other than that, both us and pigs have flesh, blood, limbs, and eyeballs._"

Rhaenys couldn't deny that logic, which made it more difficult for her to stomach.

"_You think about killing all you want, my lady. But understand that the little things add up. Once I am satisfied that you're in a good enough shape, we will proceed with the bow_."

Rhaenys had more to say, but she was too shocked at how logical Haru's words were to say them. She instead endured his penalty of running around the citadel, again with filled buckets.

But during that time, Rhaenys began to understand how Jaenyx became the man who arrived at Dragonstone. Konno Haru must have said similar things to him and made him go through hellish training, which would explain how he knew that Rhaenys thought about killing him. On the other hand, Jaenyx clearly trusted Konno Haru enough to endure his methods and became a very strong man as a result. Not just physically, but also mentally. She wasn't sure about Haru using personal insults during training, but she decided to just… bear with it.

On the other hand, their father, Lord Aerion, was not obviously displeased at Haru's methods.

"_You are making her do servant's work, Haru_," their father spat. "_I thought you're training her in how to use the bow_."

"_It's a part of the process, Lord Targaryen_," Haru replied in his heavily-accented High Valyrian. "_If she can have better endurance and strength, she can be a great archer_."

Their father scoffed. "_You've been going at this for three weeks. And now, you're making carry buckets of water like a servant girl._"

Konno Haru cocked his head at him. "_And how is that any different from how your daughter, Visenya, was trained? I hear she's quite the swordsman._"

"_She had Dragonstone's master-at-arms to train her and all of the methods and drills she practiced had a purpose. I don't see that purpose in what you're doing_."

"_This is how we trained back in Nihon, Lord Targaryen. Everything we did in our daily lives carries into how we fight_."

"_But we're not in Nihon, or Yi-Ti, Haru. And quite frankly, I'm starting to lose patience with you're treating my daughter. My good-son might trust you, but I will not tolerate anyone calling my daughter a 'dragon cunt.'"_

Haru was indifferent to their father's remonstrance. Rather than answer back at him, he turned to Rhaenys. "_Come with me,_" he ordered. Rhaenys followed him to the archery targets in the citadel, with their father close by. Haru pointed to the bow. "_Pick it up._"

"Sensei?" Rhaenys asked.

"_I said pick it up, damn it_," Haru repeated. Rhaenys did as commanded. "_Now, draw the bow_."

Rhaenys was expecting herself to struggle with pulling back and for her arms to shake. But instead, drawing the bow felt… easy for her. "_Again_," Haru ordered. Rhaenys did so, and the second time was also easy. "_Now, grab those arrows and let them loose against that target_." Haru pointed to the circular target in front of them. Rhaenys was confused, as they never got to that point yet. "_They don't have to hit the target. Just let them fly_."

Rhaenys pulled out three arrows from a nearby quiver and expected more struggling. It was one thing to pull back on the bow, but another to pull it back with an arrow. However, she found that her grip was… enough for her to hold the arrow without her fingers shaking. The first arrow flew and entered the ground. The second missed the circular target. However, the third landed on the edge. It was nowhere near the center, but it was enough for Haru that he walked back towards their father.

"_You may not like how I train her or what I say to her, Lord Targaryen. But everything has a purpose, and now you've seen the results of my methods. Can you really denounce them now_?"

Their father said nothing, surprised at how Rhaenys didn't struggle at all when pulling the bow back. Not able to argue, their father simply returned to the manor house.

As for Rhaenys, she moved her fingers around while shaking her hands. They still felt sore, but was surprised that they had any strength at all when handling the bow. Konno Haru would an abusive son of a bitch in her eyes, but she began to see why Jaenyx became the man who appeared a year ago and became Visenya's husband.

However, Rhaenys got intrigued at Konno Haru. She walked up to him. "_Why… you… low…. highborn?_" she managed to ask. _I really need to work on my High Valyrian_.

To her relief, Konno Haru understood what she was asking despite the broken bits. "_That's not a simple story to tell, Lady Rhaenys._"

"_Can… you… say_?"

Haru sighed. "_All right. Westeros has knights. Back in Yi-Ti, I was something similar to a knight. I had a code of honor, a lord that I was sworn to, and I knew my place in the order of things. And I was content. There were five hundred others like myself that were sworn to the same lord, a number not many lords back in Yi-Ti could command. But things were not to last._" Rhaenys stood straight. "_I don't know exactly what happened, but the next thing I knew, my lord was executed by the emperor and I was forced to watch as my lord's keep, my home_," Haru hesitated before continuing. "_Burned to the ground. Adding insult to the injury, they took my lord's wife and daughters and sold them to brothels_."

Rhaenys gasped. "_I tried to fight back and demand justice_," Haru continued. "_But, no lords would help me and they instead celebrated while my lord's lands were divided amongst themselves. I became a drifter, a warrior without a lord, and I had to sell my sword just so that my wife and children wouldn't starve. I then came across a group of shinobi, who I joined to avenge my lord and his family. I won't get into the details, but by the end of it, every lord who profited from my lord's death perished and I had to flee with my family along with fifty other drifters and their families away to avoid the emperor's agents. Eventually, my path led to Auryon Belaerys, Jaenyx's father, and he allowed me sanctuary in exchange for training his sons_."

Rhaenys nodded slowly, horrified at Haru's revealing his past, more so because of how unemotional he sounded as he told his tale. It was as if all the anguish and tears that was natural to such events had died in him long ago. Then, she began to understand why Haru became extreme with his methods and way of thinking. The society that was supposed to support him abandoned him and he was forced to seek justice on his own. He had a code of honor, which was spat on by the very people who created it in the first place. In essence, Haru had become a man that had lost faith and as a result had a negative view of the world.

"_But… Jaenyx…. give… purpose_?" Rhaenys had to ask.

Haru sighed. "_I made it very clear that I didn't care if you were highborn. After all, it was highborns that gutted everything I believed in and showed me what they really were. But for Jaenyx, it was different. After his parents and brother died, he had no one. As I was training him, he started to lean on me more. What made me stay with him is him clenching his teeth as I threw insult after insult at him. He could've given up, but he dug down and became a stronger man as a result. In fact, he only got through his family's deaths because of me. I became the father that he needed when his real one died_."

Rhaenys nodded, but more in thought. "_Is… he… son… to… you_?"

"_He is my student_," Haru replied. "_But, yes. He is like a son to me. Just as I became a father to him_. _We'll continue with our lessons tomorrow._" With that, he and Arata turned around and went back to their wooden house.

Rhaenys sighed. As much as she couldn't blame Haru for his extremities due to his history, that last sentence on him being a father to Jaenyx didn't sit well with her. A father would show love to who they saw as their son and so far, she didn't see that. All she saw between them was cordiality and deference that was expected between teacher and student, but no warmth. _I don't know if you became a father to Jae._

Rhaenys also was bothered about Haru boasting that Jaenyx becoming stronger only because of him. If that were true, then Jaenyx would have been just like Haru in how extreme and subdued he was. But during the past year, she saw Jaenyx become a loving husband to Visenya and a welcome addition to their family. She also saw that he had more emotional depths than most didn't expect of him because of the lack of expression that he showed others. Most importantly, he did care about others and showed that he was capable of showing love to not just Visenya. _However you trained him, Sensei Haru, you never taught him how to love. That is something that you never taught him, so I don't know if you can call yourself a father to him_.

* * *

_Rhaenys was walking through a field of tall grass, her hands gliding over its tips as she looked around the green vastness. Looking at the sky, she could tell it was near dusk. Winds were blowing through the field, making the tall grass move like waves in the ocean. As if in a trance, she continued running her hands through the grass while keeping her eyes on the darkening sky. _

_Ahead, Rhaenys saw a tiny tree in the distance. Curious, she walked towards the tree that stood out in the emptiness of the green pasture. As she got closer, the winds became calmer and the pasture quieter. The tree also became larger and distinguishable, but all she could make out was that it had blood red leaves. _

_Rhaenys didn't know, but she felt something… drawing her to this tree. She could hear its thoughts, "They're coming. They're coming." It just kept repeating in her mind. Her blood suddenly ran cold as she looked back at the pasture and saw that the tall grass had stopped moving, the winds having died down. _

_Feeling a presence behind her, Rhaenys turned around and saw something emerge from behind the tree. It had yellow eyes just like Meraxes and had a growl that could be confused with her dragon's on a quiet day. As more of the thing made itself known, she saw that it was… a wolf. A big one since its height was at her waist. It was growling, but not one that meant harm. _

_Suddenly, Rhaenys felt grass behind her rustle. Out of the grass emerged phantoms in cloaks, their faces covered in their hoods. She counted seven of them, and they all wielded daggers. She heard them chanting, "Must kill the sin. Must kill the sin."_

_Rhaenys started to move away from the phantoms that would mean her harm. But to her surprise, she felt the wolf move past her and made its growling louder at the phantoms. She heard their chants turn to whispers, all of them saying the same thing "must kill the sin" over and over. It started to increase in her mind and she felt her breathing become faster. She stepped back fearfully as the wolf stood its ground at the seven phantoms. _

_Rhaenys then heard a roar, a dragon roar. She looked to her left and saw a dragon flying towards the tree. As it got closer, she saw it was Meraxes. It landed on top of the red-leaved tree and bellowed at the seven phantoms in challenge. When the phantoms didn't stop, Meraxes released her dragonfire without Rhaenys saying "dracarys," as if sensing her rider in danger and therefore not needing an order. Feeling its warmth, Rhaenys saw a stream of fire spread in front of her and heard the whispers ceasing. Fire spread through the pasture, consuming all and turning green to ash. _

_Rhaenys saw Meraxes jump down from the top of the tree and faced down the wolf. But instead of fighting or roaring, they gazed at each other, as if curious to the creature in front of them. Then unexpectedly, Meraxes and the wolf turned their heads to her, their yellow eyes piercing through her. As the fires spread further through the pasture, Rhaenys looked at the ground and saw one new grass sprouting up. _

_Before she could look closer, Rhaenys felt blackness form around her. She looked back at Meraxes and the wolf before she fell into the deep void_.

Rhaenys launched herself up from the bed, breathing heavily. She ran her hand on her face and neck, both of which were drenched in sweat. Taking deeper and slower breaths, she calmed herself down before she laid back on the mattress.

Rhaenys had dreams before, but never like the one she had. This was… too vivid and yet not so chilly as to be a nightmare. Granted, those seven phantoms and the whisperings in her mind made her blood cold, but that was only a portion of the dream. She was happy to see Meraxes protect her in the dream from the phantoms, but she was confused as to why there was a wolf there, a large one at that.

Needing answers, Rhaenys went to her father's chambers in the manor house. As he was still Lord of Dragonstone, he occupied the ones Aegon used before he came to the citadel. She knocked on his door, but didn't get an answer. Knocking again, she found that the door was open and the chambers empty. Confused, she went to the solar, where she found her father talking with Taygor Leniar. _What's he doing here_?

Their father noticed Rhaenys enter the solar. "Ah, Rhae. What are you doing up so late?"

"I could ask the same of you, father," Rhaenys replied. "Taygor, this is a surprise. I didn't expect you to be here, let alone with our father."

"He wanted to discuss Valyrian history with me, my lady," Taygor replied in the common tongue. Like Jaenyx, it had a unique Valyrian lilt. "Your lord father seems… quite taken with your family's origins."

"As should all who bear the blood of the dragon," their father quipped. "So, Rhae, what can I do for you? You wouldn't stay awake at this time of night if it weren't anything important."

After Rhaenys sat down, she explained what she dreamt. Both Taygor and her father listened closely, interrupting her only to ask for clarification. She couldn't answer that, as she didn't know the full meaning of her dream.

Rhaenys leaned back in her chair after she was done. For some reason, she expected them to look at her like she was out of her mind. But to her relief, they just looked… curious.

"And this is the first time you had this dream, Rhae?" their father asked. Rhaenys nodded. "I must say, I would consider anyone else having such dreams to be insane, but given our history and how we came to Dragonstone in the first place… it would be unwise to dismiss them so quickly."

"So, how can I explain it?" Rhaenys asked.

"Not exactly a common ability even for those carrying dragonblood," Taygor jumped in. "But… a dragon, specifically your dragon Meraxes as you saw her, appeared in this dream. That wouldn't happen if it was a common dream."

"And?" Rhaenys wanted to know more.

"Well, your ancestor, Daenys Targaryen, had such dreams before and that's what motivated Aenar Targaryen to leave for Dragonstone, ultimately preserving one of two dragonlord families left when the Doom occurred. Many scoffed at his seeming foolishness, but they all perished. What's interesting is that your family, Lady Rhaenys, is the only one recorded to have acted on such dreams."

"This is all good, but you're not answering my question," Rhaenys pointed out with impatience.

"I'm getting to it. The gods can reveal things that cannot be interpreted clearly at the first time. But I can guess that a grave danger is coming and that both a dragon and a wolf can be the salvation while also clearing the way for something new."

Rhaenys nodded, not completely satisfied with his answer but willing to accept it for now. "But why did I dream up a wolf?"

Taygor rubbed his chin. "That… I don't know. But you said that the wolf had the same color of eyes as Meraxes. All I can think of is that the wolf is somehow connected to the dragon somehow."

Rhaenys swallowed. "I'm worried about the grave danger part. I still hear their whispers in my mind." Even thinking of those whispers, she felt a chill run down her spine.

Their father pondered the situation. "It seems as if you had a very… troubling dream. How about you stay in my chambers tonight, like when you were a little girl?"

Rhaenys smiled at that, jumping at the chance to relive her childhood when their father embraced her when she had bad dreams. That night, she felt the warm comfort that her father gave as he held her close.

* * *

The next day was filled with more running around the citadel with buckets, only no one protested Haru's methods this time. However, before they continued, Rhaenys heard Ragaemor Tarareon call out to her. "_Lady Rhaenys_!"

"Lord Tarareon. What is it?"

Lord Tarareon handed her a message, written in Jaenyx's hand. As she read it, she felt more worried with each time. "Is this true, Lord Tarareon?"

"_Yes, my lady. Lady Visenya saw their movements and Lord Belaerys confirmed them._"

Rhaenys nodded. The message said that Visenya saw troop movements coming from the Dornish Marches. From what she gathered, the Swanns of Stonehelm had gathered their troops had begun the march north, towards Bronzegate. From what she gathered, marcher houses as the Swanns had a fearsome reputation, gained from centuries of fighting the Dornish. Visenya also movement from Mistwood, which combined with the Swanns meant the Arrogant king was taking the threat from the dragons more seriously. _He should, considering what happened to Black Harren_.

At the same time, the Arrogant king was keeping the other marcher lords, his best troops, remaining where they were. That was good, as they didn't have to worry about combating all of the Durrandons' crack troops.

"How many more troops can we spare, Lord Tarareon?"

"_A little over a thousand. We could call on the riverlords for reinforcement, but they would have to get the word from Lord Belaerys_."

"Get a message to my good-brother. Tell him that we will send him one thousand reinforcements and that we will need to have him call more troops from the riverlands."

"_Yes, my lady_," Lord Tarareon bowed before walking away.

Rhaenys sighed. With the dream still on her mind and the new developments in the Storm kingdom, she knew that it was going to be a long few weeks ahead.

**Here, we have Rhaenys undergoing some very tough and abusive training under Konno Haru. I don't endorse using abusive language when in training, as that's counterproductive and will only drive the student away. However, I feel that having an interaction between Haru and Rhaenys was a good way to get insight into Jaenyx's character and as I said, there are limits to how Haru trained him. As Rhaenys pointed out, he didn't teach him how to love and is also giving himself too much credit. At the same time, no one can blame his extreme behavior given how his faith in the society he grew up in was shattered. **

**More importantly, Rhaenys has the dragon dreams. I had to take liberties since there was scant information on how they worked, but I knew that there was a lot of symbolism in dragon dreams from what details are available. Also, since she's the best rider out of her siblings and Jaenyx, I felt it only made sense she had the ability and it somewhat compensates for Jaenyx's repertoire. So, I'll let you all figure out what it exactly means ;) What I will say, all of it's important for the story ahead.**

**Next, the stormlands campaign continues. **


	20. Jaenyx V

**OVER 100 REVIEWS! It's only been over a month and this fic is going beyond what I have expected. Love you guys so much. **

**Been delayed since I'm on winter break now, but I will try to maintain my schedule regardless. Here it is! **

JAENYX V

The clanging of steel rang through the camp as Jaenyx and Visenya sparred. While Visenya thrusted Dark Sister towards her husband's torso, he parried the blade with his dagger while attempting an upward slice to Visenya with his other sword. Unfortunately for him, she was just as fast as he was and spun around while arching her back and slightly sticking out her core to avoid his blade. Regaining her footing, she assumed an inside left stance, bending her front right leg while straightening her back left leg. She brought Dark Sister close to her chest, the blade parallel above the ground with its short point aiming at Jaenyx. In response, he stepped back, slightly bent both of his knees, and held out the dagger in his left hand diagonally while putting his sword in a middle guard.

Jaenyx saw Visenya lunge forward, expecting her to attempt another thrust with Dark Sister that would again be parried with his dagger. However, just before the dagger touched Visenya's blade, she pulled back and spun to her left in a full circle. He tried to pull back, but he realized too late that she had pulled a feint and had used the momentum from her spin to bring Dark Sister up before swinging it straight downwards onto the dagger. Although he could use both hands equally, the sheer power from Visenya's downward swing was more than enough to force the dagger from his left hand and drop it to the dirt.

Jaenyx acted quickly by jumping sidewards to avoid another swing from Visenya. With his dagger gone, he assumed a hanging left stance, with his left leg in front of him and bent, right leg behind him and straightened, and sword pointed downwards. He steadied his breathing, which quickened whenever he was caught in unexpected situations in sparring. A good combatant always had a plan of attack and defense, coming up with multiple ways to strike at an opponent and avoiding the opponent's charges. However, like all warfare, deception played an important role in ensuring victory in a spar and the one falling for another's ruses either yielded or just steer clear away from them. When the latter happens, emotions flare as the serenity required in a good combatant is threatened to be expunged from the mind. Maintaining serenity was critical, as that allowed a combatant to not feel fear or hesitation. That left only pure, implacable focus and made possible for the warrior to rely on instinct and reflex rather than logic or emotion to counter their opponent's movements.

Tightening his grip on his sword, Jaenyx kept his focus on Visenya, who had assumed a side stance. Feeling calm, he saw her swing Dark Sister horizontally towards his torso, causing him to spin his arms to repoint his sword up and swing to meet Dark Sister. Remembering that the blade was not the only part of the sword, he moved fast by sliding his right hand on the flat side of the blade, far enough to not cut his hands, towards a point where he could hold down to make a pivot. At the same time, he used his left hand to bring the helm up, but not to strike Visenya in the head. He used Dark Sister's flat side to push his sword along its length and thrust downwards towards Visenya's belly. He stopped just before the point touched her skin.

But before Jaenyx said "yield," he felt Dark Sister in between his left shoulder and the left side of his neck. He had never attempted something like what he just did and while his move utilized his opponent's blade against him, he also exposed his neck to the other's blade. Had this been a real fight, he might have gotten the kill but would also die himself.

"_Draw_?" Jaenyx asked.

Visenya nodded. "_Draw_." They then heard clapping from the group that had formed to see husband and wife engage in swordplay. All had heard about the combat prowess of Lord and Lady Belaerys, but it was another thing for them to witness it with their own eyes. Visenya was the fastest warrior among Aegon and Orys, while Jaenyx was fluid and controlled. What they both shared in common was their creativity, coming up with different ways to strike and defend against their opponents' attacks. _Probably with some modifying, that last move could be quite effective in real combat_, thought Jaenyx.

With the spar finished, both Jaenyx and Visenya withdrew from their stances and clasped each other's arms as would any swordsman after a friendly session. However, they were husband and wife instead of regular sparring partners, so both smashed their lips against each other to openly show their affections. This prompted more applause from the onlookers, some of whom started to make lewd comments but all pleased to see some intimacy between Lord and Lady Belaerys.

Jaenyx was practicing with his katana and Seablaze against a training dummy when Visenya interrupted him. She commented on his use of two swords as an effective way to have more reach than his adversaries, but dual usage of two long blades sacrificed speed. Visenya reminded him that his style relied heavily on speed, so there was no point in using two swords in combat when the movements became slower from their combined weight. She had him put down his katana and instead gave him a dagger. She struck at him a few times while Jaenyx was able to block her blade with his dagger while attacking with his longer sword. However, the important thing that Jaenyx noticed was that he was able to move and react faster while using the dagger in concert with Seablaze. He was able to move very fast with the dagger in his left hand, allowing him to parry his opponent's strikes quickly and thus giving him time to strike back. He kissed Visenya deeply for her suggestions.

On a deeper level, Jaenyx noticed similarities between using the dagger and sword in conjunction and how he was taught by Master Haru. Before becoming a shinobi, Konno Haru was a master in a technique called nitōichi, which in nihongo meant "two swords as one." The technique called for the warrior to use both a large sword and a "companion sword", specifically the katana and wakizashi. The idea behind nitōichi was to maximize usage of both the katana and wakizashi, with the former used in large spaces and the latter drawn for close-quarters combat but previously never at the same time. In combat, nitōichi greatly enhanced the striking and parrying capabilities of the warrior, with the wakizashi being used to ward off and neutralize the enemy's weapons during a grappling while the katana would strike back. There were only a few warriors in Nihon who could properly apply nitōichi in combat without injuring themselves, and Konno Haru was one of them.

Once she saw that Jaenyx realized the validity of her suggestions, Visenya recommended using the katana and wakizashi against unarmored opponents and in stealth attacks while using Seablaze and the dagger during heavy combat. She had also learned about and trained a bit in nitōichi from Master Haru after politely asking him. While she had a long way to go before she could fully understand the essence of Yi-Tish swordsmanship, she understood enough to allow her to apply certain principles and techniques into her own style. Seeing her mixing knowledge from Westerosi combat styles via Quenton Qoherys and Yi-Tish styles from Master Haru prompted Jaenyx to ponder and develop his own style. He remembered Master Haru's emphasizing the importance of adapting to the environment, so that was what he intended to do in regards to his combat techniques.

Breaking from their kiss after their public sparring session, Jaenyx sheathed Seablaze and walked alongside Visenya back to the command tent while she sheathed Dark Sister. They would have liked to continue their sparring, but they had to resume planning for next advances into the Storm kingdom.

Two weeks ago, the army at Haystack Hall received one thousand more reinforcements, all of whom had crossed the bridge over the Wendwater, and bringing their total numbers to twelve thousand to face potentially thirty thousand Durrandon bannermen. Rhaenys told them that Jaenyx would have to call for more troops from the riverlands since he was officially supervising the region if they needed more. Jaenyx immediately wrote the orders and signed them with his own seal. However, it would take some time before sizable numbers arrived from the riverlands, so they would have to make do with their twelve thousand troops.

Their first instinct was to advance straight towards Bronzegate, as the capture of the fortress will open the road to Storm's End while the villages and farms surrounding the castle would be a good base from which to advance further into the Storm kingdom. At the same time, they also understood that the enemy would expect such a move from them and would move more troops into Bronzegate's vicinity. What was especially concerning for them was that the first of the marcher lords, the Swanns of Stonehelm, along with the Mertyns of Mistwood had assembled their banners and began marching north. If Argilac Durrandon managed to bring the weight of his crack troops to bear against them while they were advancing deeper into the forested areas of the northern reaches of his dominion, their advance would stall. Time was of the essence, as they needed to neutralize the Durrandons before Argilac assembled more of his troops. Unlike Black Harren, the houses throughout the Storm kingdom were very loyal to their king and would answer his call.

In a council at Haystack Hall, it was decided that they would split their forces. Aegon and Orys would retain the regular infantry, men-at-arms, and heavy cavalry and march towards Bronzegate. Meanwhile, Jaenyx and Visenya would take the army's light infantry and light cavalry and bypass Bronzegate. The idea was to keep the enemy focused on Bronzegate and move their strongest forces to reinforce the castle, which would open up the rest of the Storm kingdom's northern domains and expose their flanks. Jaenyx and Visenya would then strike at the Durrandons' lighter forces and baggage trains, thus splitting their enemy's focus and keeping them off-balance.

Key to the plan was hiding the dragons. The burning of Harrenhal might have achieved the intended goal of making their opponents afraid of them, but fear was a double-edged sword. Should the enemy be aware of the dragons' presence prior to battle, they would either hesitate or withdraw from the field, thus making the goal of destroying their armies more difficult to accomplish. While they could use the dragons to burn the fortresses throughout the Storm kingdom, destroying fixed targets only worked in the short term as long as the enemy could field troops. So, Aegon, Visenya, and Jaenyx took great pains to hide their dragons so as to keep the enemy advancing towards them. Aegon made Balerion fly over the seas next to the Storm kingdom during the day and only allowing to come to him at night, as he was the biggest of the dragons and would be easy to spot even when flying in the sky. For Vhagar and Cloudwynd, they were only slightly smaller than either Balerion or Meraxes, but they were just small enough to avoid being seen by the enemy as long as they soared very high in the air. Like Balerion, they were only allowed to come back to their riders at night, not that it mattered much to them since their dragons enjoyed flying around each other and hunting together.

For the past two weeks, Jaenyx and Visenya led their light troops through the forests west of Bronzegate. They were careful to avoid the many patrols of the Durrandons throughout the wooded areas in their domain's northern reaches alongside any villages, which they both knew would warn nearby Durrandon forces of their presence. Helping matters was the fact that they had two thousand men under their command, comprising of Tarareon horsemen, Blackwood light cavalry, and light infantry from various other houses. They also had thirty former drifters-turned shinobi to serve as their advance screen. So far, they haven't encountered the enemy yet, which was a good sign since that meant they were still undetected.

"_It's been very quiet for the past two weeks, Jae_," Visenya began as they walked with their hands entwined back to the command tent. "_Don't you think it's strange_?"

Jaenyx nodded. "_We've been careful to conceal our movements, however. If we didn't have contact with the enemy yet, we're doing something right._"

"_But we don't know these forests, Jae. The Durrandons command some very good bowmen, courtesy to the many conflicts with the Dornish. These woods are excellent for ambushes, and I know because that's what I'd use them for._"

"_The last report we've heard of the Swanns is that they were still a week away from Bronzegate. If our knowledge of this area is correct, then we would be southwest of Bronzegate and therefore bypassing the marcher force and the Mertyn bannermen. All we need to do is find either their baggage train or their weaker troops_," Jaenyx continued.

"_Shouldn't we be more cautious about these woods_?" Visenya brought the conversation back to the likelihood of an ambush in the forest.

"_We have men taking watch and our camp has a tight perimeter. Also, Cloudwynd and Vhagar are flying above us. Once we give them the word, they'll fly down and help us_," Jaenyx reassured.

They had made camp on top of a ridge covered in forest. Setting up camp anywhere along the shores of the Wendwater further inland or on level ground were easy ways to have the enemy pounce on them. While there were still risks with being encamped on a forested ridge since they couldn't see past the trees, it was always better to have the high ground in case of any attack.

"_I'm serious, Jae. I am confident of our chances against the Arrogant king, but we need to be more careful. Fighting in the woods requires us to be exactly that_."

In all honesty, Visenya had every right to be concerned. They had no problem with using their dragons in the riverlands and they had favorable geography at Rook's Rest and Wailing Willows. However, both of those battles contained some amount of open ground, where there was none where they were encamped. Cloudwynd and Vhagar could save them from being attacked and overwhelmed, but the risk of their flames igniting an inferno among the trees and harming their own troops was too great. In essence, their greatest assets could not be fully brought to bear.

Jaenyx considered Visenya's uneasiness. "_Kenzou and the others should be back soon. We'll have more information then_."

Before they entered their tent and as if on cue, they heard the bushes behind their tent rustle. On instinct, Visenya drew Dark Sister and Jaenyx drew Seablaze while they both approached the bush. Before they moved closer, three hooded figures covered in foliage and branches emerged. Upon seeing them carrying a mix of katanas, wakizashis, and ninjatō, they both relaxed as they realized that Kenzou and the others had returned. Part of the practices of the shinobi was hensōjutsu, which was their art of disguise and camouflage. Jaenyx witnessed firsthand how good they were at hiding in natural landscapes, essentially being invisible to the eye. What was scarier, however, was how well they could assume various disguises. Like theater actors, they were good at impersonating different types of people such as craftsmen, farmers, merchants, and even warriors. This meant that there was no safe place for any of their targets.

"Cho tsu to shinpai shite ku re tano ne. Houkoku ha (_You had us worried for a moment. Any report_)?" Jaenyx sheathed Seablaze with Visenya following suit.

"Nikui shirase ga a ru (_We have bad news_)," Kenzou replied. "Teki o mi tsu ke ta (_We found the enemy_)."

"Sono nikui nyusu ha dou desuka (_How is that bad news_)?" Jaenyx asked.

"Teki ha watashitachi ga shi tsu tayori mo chikai desu. Ho n no suujikan no kyori (_The enemy is closer than we thought. Only a few hours away_)," Kenzou answered with apprehension.

Jaenyx nodded, hiding his surprise. "Tsuteiu ma demo nai (_I know you have more to say_)."

Kenzou took a breath. "Arera ha wareware ga do ko ni iruka chi tte ru (_They know where we are_)."

Jaenyx's eyes widened, as did Visenya's. "Arera ha douyatte chi tte ru (_How do they know_)?" Visenya asked. Despite the immediate danger they were now in, Jaenyx couldn't help but be impressed at how quickly she was picking up nihongo.

"Chiisana juumin ha wareware yorimo kono mori o yo ku chi tte i ru. Arera ha watashitachi o mi ta. (_The smallfolk know these woods better than we do. They saw us_)."

Jaenyx and Visenya looked at each other in concern. _How did we not see them see us?_ That was a question for another time. Now, they had to prepare for a fight ahead.

"Wareware ha ka ni chokumen shite i ru nodesu ka (_How many are we facing_)?" Jaenyx wanted to put on his armor as quickly as possible, but feared that he wouldn't have time.

"Shi ha sennin to io jin no guntai o kazoe mashi ta. Sore rano ooku ha ite dakedenaku, iku tsu kano dansei-atto-ude (_I counted three thousand troops. Many of them archers and men-at-arms but also armored cavalry_)," Kenzou replied.

"Ana ta ha arera no hata o mi mashi taka (_Did you see their banner_)?" Visenya pressed.

"Soreha shiratori no you ni mie mashi ta (_It looked like a swan_)," Kenzou shrugged.

_Shit_, cursed Jaenyx. They would have to fight a marcher lord sooner than they thought. They wouldn't have to worry about the men-at-arms and cavalry, since they would have a difficult time advancing on their positions on high ground, but the archers were a cause for concern. From Jaenyx gathered, their bowmen were fast at drawing their bows while being deadly accurate. The main weapon of choice for archers sworn to marcher lords was the longbow, which was comparable to the yumi bow used in Nihon in that it required years to master. However, unlike the yumi, the longbow was used by common troops and therefore could be used in larger numbers. Combined with their knowledge of the landscape, that made them deadly opponents to face.

"_We need to get ready to fight_," Visenya began. "_Our best chance to beat them back is to hold our positions. As long as we hold the high ground, they can't dislodge us no matter how many arrows they let loose against us_."

"_But we're on a ridge. Wouldn't they surround us then_?" Jaenyx knew there were also risks with occupying the higher ground. If they were surrounded, they could get cut off from retreat and then destroyed.

"_Just as our enemy will use the forest to their advantage, we'll use it to ours. Take cover behind the trees and any bush and wait for them to charge at us. Once they come close enough, we'll let loose our own arrows and stick them with our blades and spears_."

Jaenyx nodded. "_Sounds like a plan. We should also get Cloudwynd and Vhagar down here also_."

"_Not yet, Jae_," Visenya shook her head. "_Once we hinder their advance up the ridge, we'll call them and finish them off._"

* * *

Jaenyx sat with his back leaned against a large boulder that both he and Visenya found. After Kenzou warned them of the enemy approaching them, they had Chrass Rivers, who was accompanying them, take half of their troops and bring all of their horses to a safe distance away from the ridge. Meanwhile, Jaenyx, Visenya, Kenzou, and Rhaedar Tarareon would remain at the ridge with the other half to hold off the oncoming force. The basic plan was to blunt their charge up the ridge while using the bushes and trees as cover against their bowmen.

"_Damn_," Jaenyx muttered. "_Should have known that we were compromised_."

"_It's better that we're fighting them now than later_," Visenya turned her head to Jaenyx. "_If we waited for them to come to us, then we would be fighting against a much larger host and all of them probably under one commander. By fighting them now, we should be distracting them while blunting a portion of the Durrandons' elite troops_."

Jaenyx couldn't deny that logic. "_But this is where our dragons would have some difficulty. They might not see well through the trees and therefore hurt our own troops in the process_."

Visenya put her hand on Jaenyx's shoulder. "_Let's trust Vhagar and Cloudwynd to know friend from foe, then_," she reassured.

Just then, they saw an arrow lodge into a tree behind their boulder. Before they could react, a storm of arrows landed around their boulder while some bounced off of it. They turned to their right and saw a man, a Blackwood by the sigil on his armor, lie dead with arrows sticking into his face and neck.

"Keep your heads down!" Jaenyx shouted. "Avoid the arrows!"

"_They might be trying to keep us under cover so that their infantry and cavalry could move up the ridge without resistance_," Visenya pointed out.

Taking that into consideration, Jaenyx peeked out the side of the boulder. Sure enough, he saw rows of bowmen letting loose their arrows at their positions on the ridge while the armored men-at-arms and knights began to advance towards the base of the ridge. If they were able to engage in close combat with their lighter troops, they would not stand a chance.

"Kyuuhei o junbi shi ro (_Get the archers ready_)!" Jaenyx shouted to Kenzou. Some of the shinobi had crossbows and all of them carried bolts that could pierce plate armor. Still, they were told to aim for the head, neck, and shoulders as the armor was usually thickest around the torso. "Get your arrows out! Do not let loose until I give the order!" Jaenyx shouted to the rest.

Meanwhile, arrows from the Swann and Mertyn forces landed on their positions. A few were killed while the rest struggled to avoid them using any trees, bushes, or boulders that they could find. Yet, Jaenyx noticed that the arrows came in waves, meaning that the enemy bowmen used volleys. Once they proceeded to renock arrows, that was when Jaenyx and Visenya's own bowmen would shoot back.

Soon enough, it happened. "Volley! Loose!" Visenya ordered.

A wave of armor-piercing arrows and bolts descended upon the men-at-arms and mounted knights as they struggled up the ridge. As instructed, they aimed for the head and neck and many struck true to their mark as scores of their armored adversaries fell to the ground dead. However, they had to take cover as the enemy bowmen shot back at them.

"_Good start, but not enough_," Visenya peeked over the boulder. "_We'll have to be fighting them in close combat if things go on like this. We both might have a chance, but I'm not sure about the others_."

"_Call the dragons_?" Jaenyx suggested.

"_And if the fire gets out of control_?"

"_We'll worry about that later. Right now, we need to get rid of those archers_."

Visenya nodded. "_I'll call Vhagar_."

Jaenyx looked up to the sky. _Cloudwynd, girl. Help us_.

While their own archers shot back at the marcher bowmen, two dragon roars pierced through the chaos in the forest. A stream of orange and blue dragonfire burned through the thick treetops and a large portion of the enemy archers. Screams echoed as blue and orange fires turned flesh into ashes while igniting the easily flammable foliage and bushes around the ridge. The trees quickly caught fire and smoke filled the air above the fighting.

Jaenyx and Visenya glanced over the boulder and saw that the enemy host had descended into a frenzy. While the archers were burning, the armor of the men-at-arms and mounted knights were melting on their bodies from the very heat of the flames. Many struggled to get them off, with some being picked off by armor-piercing arrows and some others falling onto the ground as their bodies cooked inside the metal layers of the things that were supposed to protect them.

Jaenyx and Visenya saw that there were still soldiers who were unscathed, but too overwhelmed by the fires burning through the shrubs and the smoke now filling the air around them around them to get back into formation. Jaenyx and Visenya shared a look with each other, both seeing their chance. Drawing their swords, they emerged out from behind the boulder.

"CHARGE!" Visenya ordered. As one, Tarareons, shinobi, Blackwoods, and troops from other houses dropped their bows and rushed down the ridge, avoiding tree trunks and bushes while raising their spears, swords, and axes.

As Jaenyx ran down the hill, he jumped onto a man-at-arms that had luckily avoided the dragonfire. Remembering the exposed areas of plate armor, he drew his dagger and stabbed the man through the opening above his throat. Standing up, he saw their troops engaging the armored but disorganized marcher force. Although lighter than their adversaries, that made them more mobile and they used the weight of the plate armor against them as they went for the weak spots.

But as Jaenyx observed the fighting, he coughed as he felt his eyes sting. There was too much smoke going around and the fires were starting to get out of control as there was just too much fuel for them to burn. At the same time, they needed to eliminate this force before they could withdraw as that meant one less marcher lord to worry about.

Rubbing his eyes, Jaenyx let out another cough as he heard someone yelling from behind him. He turned around and saw an armored knight charging at him on horseback. He ducked just in time to avoid his blade before grabbing him from behind and pulling him from his horse. He struck at the knight's helmet with Seablaze's hilt, stunning him long enough for Jaenyx to lift up his helm and stick his dagger into his eye.

Jaenyx stomped through the flaming bushes and trees as the troops began to really cut down on the marcher force. He saw Kenzou throttling a man-at-arms from behind before slicing through his exposed throat with his shuriken. He saw lightly-armored Blackwoods turning the heavy armor of their opponents against them, either by driving their swords and daggers through the weak spots or pushing them towards a shrub touched by dragonfire and letting its flames cook them from the inside as the metal melted. He saw Rhaedar unhorse a knight by hitting him straight with a spear's shaft on the torso before he slammed his axe down onto his helm, splitting his head into two.

Before he moved further, Jaenyx felt something slam into him and a sharp pain on his left side as he fell to his knees. He looked to his left and found that an arrow had lodged into an exposed part of his armor, specifically between his left leg and torso. However, he sensed that it didn't hit anything vital and seeing that he couldn't get the arrow without help, he forced himself back up as he moved forward while careful to not snap the arrow.

Seeing that he would not be able to fight on foot with the arrow, Jaenyx mounted a horse and wheeled around the ridge. Although the smoke and fires would prevent enemy archers from accurately aiming at him, he didn't take chances and kept himself low so as to make it more difficult for them to shoot at him. However, he found that being on horseback also made him higher in the air and thus exposing his eyes to thicker smoke. He quickly decided to use the horse to find an opponent before he would jump onto him. He didn't have to wait long, as he found a group of archers trying to flee from the ridge.

Once he was close enough, Jaenyx jumped onto the archers, bringing two down with his weight while he slashed Seablaze through the calves of two others. He stabbed one of the archers through the side of his neck while he stood back up before plunging Seablaze into the back of the other. However, he failed to notice the last archer charging into him and bringing him back down to the ground. The archer brought his longbow to Jaenyx's neck and attempted to throttle him.

Jaenyx struggled against the archer, as the smoke got much thicker and making breathing for him much more difficult. He looked to his side and saw his dagger just out of reach for him. Looking back at his enemy was also getting harder as the smoke was stinging in his eyes. Still, he would not let go without a fight. Keeping his gaze onto the archer, he saw that the archer had his own dagger strapped to his left side. Acting quickly, he reached for that dagger, unsheathed it, and stabbed him between the ribs. Reversing the positions, Jaenyx pinned him on the ground as he continued to stab at the struggling archer.

Jaenyx was taught self-control, but the pain searing from his leg and the smoke stinging his eyes and making it difficult for him to breath unleashed the fire in him. Everything drowned out as he cut into the archer's flesh over and over again with his own dagger. He went for the neck, then the face, and then his eyes. However, something told him to keep going as he used the dagger's handle to smash onto the archer's face. He ignored the bone cracks, the squish for flesh, blood squirting on his face, and the sting in his throat as he let his savage side out into the open. He lost count of how many times he bashed the archer's face in.

Before he went further, Jaenyx felt someone pull him from the archer. He pushed that someone off before he felt another person restrain him. He screamed before someone slapped him hard. Blinking, his eyes regained focus and his breathing became slower as he stared upon the face of Visenya. Her face was coated in blood and her braid was covered in dirt and ash while her eyes were tearing up from the smoke's sting.

"That's enough, Jae!" Visenya shouted.

Feeling calm return to him even while the fires spread further, Jaenyx looked towards the archer, or what was left of him. While the body remained intact, he could not see a face. All he saw was a nose, broken cheekbones, teeth spread out all over the ground, skull cracks, and brain matter spilled through them. The archer was no longer recognizable.

Despite the smoke, Jaenyx felt his eyes widen. He promised Master Haru that he would maintain control even during battle and he broke that. And now, he was reminded of why hot blood never belonged in battle. People were not supposed to lower themselves to the likes of beasts and this was what happened whenever a thinking being let the baser instincts of the self take control.

Jaenyx saw that Kenzou was holding him. Seeing that his father's student had regained control of himself, he let go. Jaenyx nodded his thanks, which Kenzou returned.

"_You're hurt_," Visenya noticed the arrow lodged in his leg.

"_It's fine, Vis_," Jaenyx tried to brush off her concerns. That only got him another slap.

"_It's not fine, Jae,_" Visenya glared at him. "_We'll have one of Taygor's men look at you right now._"

Jaenyx was about to protest, but Visenya silently warned him not to. His mind then focused on other matters. "_Any prisoners_?" He didn't doubt that they won.

"_A few_," Visenya replied. "_But first, we'll get that arrow out of you_."

* * *

Visenya had the troops move away from the burning areas of the forest, but like them, she had to rub her eyes as they marched away. She had Taygor's son, Aedor, look at Jaenyx. Unlike Rhaenys, the arrow was not lodged deep in the flesh and he could pull out by grabbing onto the shaft with his forceps. Visenya held his head tight as he gritted his teeth in pain. Fortunately, it didn't last long and he started to disinfect the wound. Unfortunately, after he was bandaged, Jaenyx walked with a limp. Aedor reassured that it was only temporary and that he would walk normally by the end of the week.

Not that Visenya cared. Helping him walk, she put his arm over her shoulders and quipped, "_Now we can really lean on each other_."

"_Don't we do that already_?" Jaenyx jested.

"_Shut up_. _All I can think of right now is how I can comfort you while you heal_," Visenya looked at him suggestively.

Jaenyx sighed, but more in amusement. "_Whatever you say, my dragon_."

They strode towards a knight that had requested an audience with them. However, considering the circumstances of their last battle, Visenya had him brought to his knees by Rhaedar.

The knight looked up at them. "I am the son of Ashton-"

"Take your helmet off while addressing us," Jaenyx interrupted him.

The knight did so while still kneeling. Clearing his throat, he smirked. "I am the son of Ashton of House Mertyns of Mistwood."

_And?_ Jaenyx and Visenya stared at him while Rhaedar stood behind him with his arms crossed.

As if expecting them to know his meaning, the knight gave a look of confusion. "I am accorded the privilege of ransom," he stated as he smirked again.

Jaenyx quietly groaned, annoyed. He didn't limp all this way to hear a kneeling man demand that he be released just for a small lump of money. He was aware that fifty sacks of gold was the regular ransom, but this knight was foolish if he thought that they would need it.

"This is true," Visenya replied while helping Jaenyx back to their tent. Jaenyx gave Rhaedar a nod. Rhaedar then took out his axe, stood straight behind the kneeling knight, and brought the axe down on his unprotected head, brain matter and skull bits scattering as the knight fell down on the ground dead, his eyes and mouth slightly twitching.

**Hope I wrote the dueling scene well :)**

**As I said, the terrain of the stormlands will present challenges for the dragons and here we see it. While Vhagar and Cloudwynd might have killed the marcher bowmen, they set the forest on fire and putting the troops at risk. Thus, Jaenyx had to fight with impaired senses and that only added to the chaos that was going around him. And now, we finally see him lose self-control and being reminded of why he has to control himself even in battle. I hope I showed that well. **

**Part of the battle was inspired by the Battle of King's Mountain, but with some of the forest fight from THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN (2005) and THE REVENANT (2015). **

**Only two more chapters until the Last Storm. Stay tuned. **


	21. Rhaenys VI

**Special shoutout to Longclaw 1-6, osterreicher97, and now Jonerys2019 for your awesome reviews :) All of you, and the others, propel me forward with this story despite many obstacles. **

**Without ado, here it goes. **

RHAENYS VI

"_Nock!_" Rhaenys drew the bowstring back while aiming at the target. "_Loose!_" Rhaenys let the arrow fly, only to land just outside the black circle in the center.

Konno Haru moved next to Rhaenys, arms crossed and giving her the same disappointed look that remained on his face for the past few weeks.

"_How many fucking times do we have to go over this_?" Rhaenys was still not used to Haru speaking to her in that manner, but she couldn't complain now that they were training on bows. A week after that little demonstration in front of their father, Konno Haru finally moved to teaching her how to shoot the bow, but that didn't stop the intensity of their other exercises. In fact, Haru made her run faster around the citadel, do more strength training, and then had her swim against the current of the Blackwater Rush in her dragon coat.

"_I… trying-_" Rhaenys tried to explain, but that only got her the sound of a throat clearing.

"_What did I say about trying_?"

Rhaenys bit on her cheek. "_Useless… if… failed_."

Haru nodded. "_Exactly. We've been practicing for two weeks and you haven't landed one fucking hit. Have you not been paying attention?! Huh?!_"

Rhaenys jolted at the sudden raising of his voice. "_I… pay… attention-_"

"_Clearly not well enough_," Haru shot bitingly. "_I've got better things to do with my time than to watch over another highborn cunt_." Rhaenys glared at him, still offended whenever he referred her by that term. "_Oh, what's the matter, wench_?" Haru asked in mock surprise. "_Do you want to kill me, dragon bitch_?" Rhaenys exhaled slowly before shaking her head. "_If no, then you better start making my time more worthwhile. If there is anything that I hate in this world, it is anything wasted. Now, nock another arrow_."

Rhaenys did so. They had her train a small and simple wooden bow before they had her switch to a longbow and recurve bow. They discouraged her from using a crossbow, as the point of their training was to develop the skills she would need to be a great archer and crossbows would take up too much time to load, and battle never afforded the luxury of time for its participants to be ready to fight their adversaries.

Konno Haru and his son Arata mainly used a bow they called the yumi, which was made from a combination of wood, leather, and bamboo, the last one not existing in Westeros since bamboo existed in more damp regions with heavier rainfall such as Sothoryos. The yumi resembled the longbow in how tall it was and a bowman would need several years before mastery could be achieved. However, the yumi was utilized by the warrior elite in Yi-Ti since they were expected to be well-versed in many types of weapons besides their swords. From what Rhaenys witnessed, both Konno and Arata Haru could hit their targets with the yumi while on horseback, intriguing her further.

Given her small stature, Haru had her train with a composite bow made from goat horn, wood, and sinew alongside a self-bow he fashioned from yew. He said that the composite bow carried slightly more power than a longbow and could quite maneuverable compared to most bows, but it was vulnerable to damp conditions and had to be kept dry. On the other hand, the self-bow might not possess the same power as the recurve bow but was not susceptible to wet climates and could be used in more environments. If Rhaenys had to choose, the self-bow seemed a more attractive option.

However, Rhaenys had not been able to land an arrow on what Konno Haru called the "zuboshi", or the center of the target despite the last two weeks of instruction. One other thing that made her dislike even more was how impatient he got and how quick he was to criticize her. The man had a short temper, but Haru said to her, "_Don't get confused. I'm not your father. I'm not your friend. I am your teacher and I speak to you as how the elder addresses the younger. If you hate me, I'm doing something right because the more you do, the more you learn_." She was confused by how much emphasis he had put on this fallacy, as she thought that teachers would be more understanding towards their students. But in Haru's mind, he didn't care about giving any kind of understanding.

And here was Rhaenys getting another reprimand for seemingly failing to absorb Haru's lessons. After he was finished admonishing her, Haru sighed. "_It looks like we're going to have to approach this in a different manner, wouldn't you agree_?"

Rhaenys stared at him. "_What... other…. way…. Sensei Haru_?"

"_You'll see_." Haru had Arata call one of their men to where they were standing before he went to the cells holding some ironborn prisoners. As for the man that just came, he also had pale skin, brown eyes, and long raven black hair tied in a bun. He was tall but skinny while wearing loose brown robes.

Arata grabbed one of the ironborn prisoners, his hands and ankles in chains while stripped of his mail shirt, and had him stand in front of the target. As for Haru, he shouted something to the other Yi-Ti man, who responded by getting on his hands and feet while his face was above the ground. His ass was also sticking up, confusing Rhaenys.

Suddenly, Haru pulled out a small wooden stick and smacked the man's ass hard, causing Rhaenys to flinch. So hard that people nearby could hear the smack and the man's suppressed grunt in pain. His ass nearly touched the ground from the stick's impact before he stuck it back up.

"_Kill him_," Haru pointed to the ironborn prisoner.

Rhaenys turned around, her eyes widening in shock before looking back at Haru. "_What_?"

"_I want you to kill him with your bow. He's a bigger target, so you shouldn't miss_," Haru explained.

Rhaenys shook her head. "_What… about… targets_?"

Haru scoffed. "_How is killing a man any different than killing a stag? Also, from what Jaenyx told me, you know what it's like to kill a man up close and you've burned hundreds at Wailing Willows. I'm not understanding why this would be difficult for you now_."

Rhaenys gestured at the ironborn prisoner. "_He… in… chains_."

"_So?_" Haru asked dismissively. "_Do you think that he'll show you the same consideration if you were in chains? I thought you'd be more understanding of what death is after nearly drowning in the Blackwater Bay_."

Rhaenys killed a stag so that she and Egg would eat that day. She stabbed that ironborn in the neck at the Stoney Sept after he tried to kill her. She might have burned hundreds at Wailing Willows, but Meraxes and the other dragons did the actual killing for her. Now, Haru was asking her to use a prisoner as target practice. Granted, the man was an ironborn, but he was in chains and therefore could not harm her. This was… killing in cold blood, something that she never had to do before.

"_Why… making… me…. do_?" Rhaenys hesitated.

"_To be honest with you, Lady Rhaenys, I'm beginning to doubt if you have what it takes to be an archer, or a killing person in general_," Haru explain. "_Hunting stags or animals is easy since they can't talk. People, however, could not only talk, but also laugh, smile, and love_." Rhaenys briefly thought about Aegon at that last word. "_A good archer remembers all of that before focusing on the fact that his adversary needs to die or the archer will die himself or herself. More importantly, the archer will always endeavor to make that one arrow released from the bow the killing arrow. As I said, you either be the better one in battle or you could be the next corpse._"

Rhaenys listened to another of Haru's lessons. She initially believed that being an archer was as simple as learning how to shoot the bow, but Haru said that there were deeper ways of thinking behind archery. One thing that she did remember was that the good archer would not allow its prey to undergo prolonged suffering, which was why Haru always told her to aim for the eyes, the neck, or the heart so as to ensure a quick death. The bow weapon meant for precision and anyone who ignored that fact was either not a very good archer or worse, a sadist.

Rhaenys kept looking at Haru. "_If… I… don't_?" Haru smacked at the man's ass with his stick again, this time causing a yelp. "_Please… stop._"

"_Consider this an incentive,_" Haru replied. "_Everytime you miss or your arrow doesn't deliver a killing blow, I hit him hard. Normally, I would hit you for such infractions, but out of respect for Jaenyx, I'm not hitting you. However, that doesn't I can't hit others_."

Rhaenys gulped. "_If… kill…. prisoner… you… stop… hitting_?"

"_Kill the target with one arrow, and you won't find out_," Haru promised, but with his grip tightening on the stick.

Rhaenys exhaled before nocking another arrow. "_Remember, eyes, neck, or heart. I'll let you choose, but kill him_," Haru said.

Rhaenys drew back her yew self-bow, arrow nocked. She could see the ironborn near tears, his eyes begging for his life without saying the words, and shoulders slumped from the chains. Normally, she would be affected by such expressions and that made it difficult for her to take the next step.

While she thought that, Rhaenys heard another smack and another yelp from Haru's stick. "_I'm waiting, Lady Rhaenys. Don't take too long_," Haru warned.

Closing her eyes, Rhaenys exhaled again, willing such thoughts of understanding for the prisoner from her mind. She didn't know the Yi-Tish man's name, but she wasn't to let him get smacked again because of her. Also, the prisoner was an ironborn, the people that started the war in the first place. She adjusted her aim and let her arrow fly.

Rhaenys didn't have to wait long until she saw the arrow pierce the man's throat. His mouth was shaped in an "O" while blood was pouring out his mouth. He also had a shocked expression on his face and eyes widened before he fell on his knees and crashed on the ground, lifeless.

Rhaenys let out a shaky breath as she lowered her bow. She may have killed before, but this was the first time she had killed in cold blood. Haru might have pushed her by smacking that other man in the ass, but she was the one that decided to go through with it.

Haru patted her on the shoulder. "_Never hesitate, my lady. You either kill your enemies quickly, or you will die. We're done for today. On the morrow, we will be hunting for our own food_."

Rhaenys felt a weight come off her shoulders while another came on them. She no longer had to be worried about hesitating to kill, but she worried about how long she could handle killing before it became too much for her. Haru's words still echoed in her mind and the memories of killing the ironborn prisoner still fresh. _Now I know why Quenton never talked about what it was like to take a life_.

Rhaenys set her bow down and made her way back to the manor house on the top of the tallest hill for refreshments with her father.

* * *

_Rhaenys found herself in another green field, but she felt… cold. Unlike the last field where it felt warm, this one had cold winds coming from the north. And they blew hard. She had to wrap herself up in her arms to keep herself from shivering as she walked through the field. _

_But as she looked around, Rhaenys saw a forest to her left. What stood out about this forest was that instead of trees with green leaves, this forest was filled with pale white trees with blood red leaves. As she got closer to the forest, she saw faces carved on them. _

"_Weirwoods?" Rhaenys whispered in confusion. There were only a few places south of the Neck that even had godswoods and she never saw this many weirwoods before, as the First Men and later the Andals cut many of them down. From what Rhaenys read, they also drove the Children of the Forest, mythical people known for their abilities stemming from the supposed magic of weirwoods, to the point of near extinction. No one had laid eyes on a single child of the forest for many centuries, but some said that they could still feel their presence whenever around weirwoods. _

_Rhaenys felt more perplexed by why she was here. She didn't have the blood of the First Men in her veins, but she was still dreaming of weirwoods. Remembering the last time she was here, she couldn't understand why she saw a large wolf and why Meraxes just stared at it. _

_Just then, Rhaenys heard a dragon roar from behind her. Turning around, she saw Meraxes fly past her and towards the forest. "Meraxes, girl! Come back!" she shouted, but to no avail. Sighing in frustration, Rhaenys pulled up her dress and ran into the weirwood forest. _

_Rhaenys felt very uneasy upon seeing so many carved faces of the weirwood trees. The children of the forest and later the First Men saw these faces as representations of the old gods or even the old gods themselves, but what made her nervous was how they all just stared at her, like the eyes of their faces were following her. But she then put her nervousness aside, as she needed to find Meraxes and know why she ignored her command. _

_After running through a seemingly endless stretch of weirwoods, Rhaenys arrived at a clearing in the forest. But instead of being a regular clearing, she came upon a lake, a shallow one at that. In the middle of this lake was a small island, with a large weirwood surrounded by sloping grass. This weirwood was the biggest she laid her eyes upon, as this one broke through the forest's canopy and could rival one of the towers of Harrenhal before they burned it to the ground. _

_But what caught her attention was Meraxes, who was curled on the ground around the trunk of this massive weirwood and being large enough to wrap itself around the tree and have her head touch her own tail. Even more, there was a man near the edge to the lake and that same large wolf lying next to him. This man appeared to sharpening a knife with a rock while not taking notice to Rhaenys. _

_Adding to her confusion was how… calm Meraxes was around this stranger. As she looked closely at him, this man had long, raven black hair that grew past his shoulders and a black beard. She also saw that he had grey eyes, which only the First Men had. He seemed very lean and tall like Jaenyx while wearing leather boots, trousers, and thick fur coat. Meraxes would not dare be close to those not having dragonblood, but she was with him. _

_Needing to find out, Rhaenys walked into the lake. The water sloshed around as she stepped further, with the weirwood becoming bigger with each step closer to it. _

_But before she could step foot on the island, she heard the man say, "That's far enough" while still focused on his dagger. _

"_You knew that I was here?" Rhaenys asked. _

"_Of course. I felt your presence from the moment you entered these woods," the man still sharpened his dagger. "Nothing is hidden from the old gods." _

"_Are you one of them?" Rhaenys was getting very fearful at that possibility. _

_Fortunately, this man laughed and shook his head. "No, I'm not of the old gods. If I was, I would have dreamt up a castle, not woods," he gestured to the forest with a circular motion of his finger. _

_Another question entered Rhaenys' mind. "Why can't I go on this island?" Her feet were still in the water._

_At that, the man stopped sharpening his knife and looked at Rhaenys. She was taken aback at seeing his piercing gaze, which was similar to Jaenyx's but with grey eyes. "You don't have the blood of the First Men or that of the Warg King. And this is sacred ground."_

_More confusion entered Rhaenys' mind. "But what about my dragon? She's of Valyria, not of the First Men." _

_The man shrugged. "True, but her presence is necessary for this," he gestured to the air around them. "To occur. She's quite a creature, your Meraxes."_

_Rhaenys narrowed her eyes. "How do you know her name?" _

"_I can't say," this man shook his head. "It will be revealed in due time, but I can only say so much before the old gods cut the connection, which will be soon." _

_Rhaenys scoffed. "You're making me more confused. How is it possible that the old gods can communicate with those of Valyria? I am not even sure if this is really happening. I am not of the First Men and I don't-" _

_This man interrupted her. "You are Rhaenys of House Targaryen, third and youngest child of Aerion Targaryen and Valeana Velaryon Targaryen and descendant of Aenar Targaryen. I know who you are, but to explain why we're talking in this space would take too long." _

_Rhaenys groaned in frustration, but she also saw that she wasn't going to get anymore. "Can I ask your name, then?" _

_This man smiled. "Of course. My name is Snow. Brandon Snow, son of Harald of House Stark, first of his name, Lord of Winterfell and King in the North._"

_Rhaenys' eyes widened. "You're… a Stark_?"

_Brandon shook his head. "Not exactly. I'm a bastard, with my half-brother being King in the North." _

"_Torrhen Stark, is that right?" _

_Brandon nodded, smile widening. "You know the rulers of Westeros. Very good." _

_It all started to make sense for Rhaenys. Courtesy to Maester Harrion before their father had him return to the Citadel, she had stories about the Starks' war on the Warg King, on how some of the Starks born after his defeat also inherited the ability to warg, or skinchange. It was the only explanation as to why Brandon Snow was here in front of her. _

"_Are you a warg, Lord Snow?" Rhaenys had to ask. _

"_Impressive. You must know our history well." Rhaenys nodded. "But no, I'm not a warg. I have something else, something that can only be used effectively in the presence of weirwoods." _

_Rhaenys wanted to ask, but she also remembered the large wolf laying near Brandon Snow. "And what is that?" Rhaenys pointed to it. _

"_Oh, him," Brandon turned around. "This is… Autumn." As Rhaenys examined the wolf closer, its fur was a mix of red and brown. Then, it looked back at Rhaenys, revealing its yellow eyes. "He's a direwolf." _

"_Really?" Rhaenys had heard about direwolves, but they were mostly seen north of the Neck and even there, sightings became rarer as they were hunted down in droves. "Never seen a direwolf before." _

"_No southron has. I just happened to find her along with a few other pups in the Wolfswood one day. I couldn't find the mother for some reason, but that's a story for another time." _

"_This is… a lot," Rhaenys admitted. "As I said, I'm of Valyria yet here I am, speaking with one deeply rooted in the blood of the First Men. I am still confused as to why I'm here, as Dragonstone has no weirwoods, or how we can talk in the first place." _

"_To be honest, Lady Rhaenys, this is perplexing also. But you've forgotten something. There is a weirwood where you live, just not at Dragonstone, and it's very close to your walls. That's why we can talk." _

"_But why are we talking?" The confusion returned in full and then some. _

"_Everything will be revealed in time, but all I can say is that a great danger is coming and it will spring up from all around you." _

_Rhaenys cocked her head. "What do you mean?" _

"_We may not be of the same blood, but our blood allows us to do this and other feats. Unfortunately, there will be those who will hunt us down because of it and they will wish our extinction because they don't understand our gifts."_

"_Who'd want to hunt us down?"_

_Before Brandon could answer, they heard a branch snap from behind them. Rhaenys turned around, to find a bush of flowers and vines had grown on the place where she stood. "That wasn't there before." _

"_It wasn't," Brandon confirmed while drawing his sword. Autumn the direwolf had gotten on her feet while Meraxes had awakened. _

_From behind the bush, a massive lion emerged before more followed. In fact, more than expected. All of them looked ready to pounce on the Stark, the Targaryen, the direwolf, and the dragon. Rhaenys looked ahead and saw two falcons flying above them, one larger than the other. _

"_That's a lot of lions," Rhaenys remarked. _

"_It's all right. They're scared of water like any other cat, so we're both safe." _

"_I could have Meraxes burn them all now," Rhaenys offered. _

"_Not yet," Brandon replied. "We can't have the flames touch the weirwoods." _

"_But, we're not looking at actual weirwoods, aren't we?" Rhaenys pointed out. _

_Brandon pondered about that, then nodded. "I see your point. If you're going to use your dragon, try not to burn this large weirwood." _

_Rhaenys smiled. "Of course." She then looked at Meraxes before gesturing to the group of lions. "Dracarys." _

_Meraxes let loose her dragonfire, the lions roaring in pain while the thorned bush burned. She looked up to the sky and saw that the falcons were nowhere to be seen. _

"_We'll meet again, Lady Rhaenys," Brandon said._

_Rhaenys nodded before Brandon, Autumn, and Meraxes turned into bright white light_.

* * *

"Are you sure that's who you met? You're not confusing things?" their father pressed.

"Yes, father," Rhaenys nodded. "Everything felt so real and I wouldn't have been able to remember clearly what I said to him if I was mad."

"My gods," their father exclaimed before letting out a laugh. "Of all the people you could've met in your dreams, it had to be Brandon Snow, a member of House Stark. I don't care if he's a bastard, since he certainly showed that he has extraordinary abilities."

"I must admit, Lord Targaryen," Taygor Leniar joined in. They were having their daily discussions and he had also heard Rhaenys' dream. "I am confused as to how one with dragonblood was able to communicate with one not having it, but there have been some studies in the interactions between the water magic of the old Rhoynar and the fire magic of Valyria."

"What do you mean?" Rhaenys was curious.

"Magic manifests in many forms. Besides the fire of Valyria, you have the water of the Rhoyne and now the magic of these forest children. But one theory that my ancestors came up with was that while magic may have different forms, the foundation was the same and therefore allowing its users access to a parallel world where all can interact."

Rhaenys shook her head. "I'm sorry. A parallel world?"

"It's a complicated theory and one that I myself don't fully comprehend, but magic is a tool that can be used to alter this reality, but it also allows what my ancestors thought to be a way to enter another reality that exists alongside our own. In that reality," Taygor used his hands to visualize for Aerion and Rhaenys Targaryen. "No matter what magic you practice, as long as you have magic, you can access and interact with other practitioners no matter the distance or location. There, the rules of the world as we know it doesn't apply and we're not as disconnected in that space as we are now. In essence, that space allows a coexistence of various types of magic and allowing its users to communicate with one another."

Rhaenys felt her head hurt. "Taygor, these are very abstract concepts, but you mean to say that I may have entered that space through my dreaming?"

"Possibly. That's the only explanation that I can offer."

Rhaenys heard her father sigh. "So, Rhae, you've made contact with the Starks before you even met them. And he said that he couldn't explain everything yet?"

"Yes."

Her father nodded, accepting the situation. "I might have to send some feelers to north of the Neck. I had a few dealings with Lord Manderly at White Harbour years ago, so I might contact him to see what the situation with the Starks is like. What's troubling is the part about the lions, the thorns, and the falcons, because those represent Houses Lannister, Gardener, and Arryn. What are their roles in all of this?" their father thought aloud.

"Brandon Snow said something about people wanting to destroy us because we have connections to magic," Rhaenys answered.

"And if those houses have something in common, they're connected to the Faith, whose septons have not hidden their dislike of us or our Valyrian heritage. But how will they attack us? We haven't attacked them and what's more curious is that your dreams and Brandon Snow didn't mention the stag, which probably means that we will subjugate the Durrandons," their father rubbed his chin in thought.

Rhaenys nodded, not denying his reasoning. But before they could continue their conversation, a servant entered the open solar in the manor house. "Milord, pardon me for the interruption."

"What is it?" their father asked.

"Urgent message from Lord Aegon. The messenger said something about it relating to King Argilac."

Their father stood up, snatched the message, and dismissed the servant. After opening the message, he grew more agitated with each time he read it. He clenched his teeth in anger, surprising Rhaenys.

"Read it aloud," their father handed the message to Rhaenys. "And clearly."

Rhaenys cleared her throat. "Father, I have news regarding our advances against the Arrogant king. After Jae and Vis blunted the Swann force west of Bronzegate, we moved to besiege Bronzegate and began preparations for a storm on the walls. I had to return to the bridge on the Wendwater at the behest of cousin Daemon to oversee the additional reinforcements from the riverlands along with Jae and Vis, leaving Orys in charge of the siege. However, while Jae and Vis recommended using a tactic similar to the one used on Haystack Hall, Orys met with the head of House Buckler and made a deal. If Bronzegate wasn't relieved by the next moon, then Lord Buckler would surrender the castle to us and assist in our advance on Storm's End. If he is relieved, then the castle would remain in Durrandon hands." _Oh, no, Orys. Why did you do that?_

Their father was understandably indignant. "I get that you want things done the honorable way, son, but this was very unwise," he thought aloud. "Because of his lack of patience with sieges and his want for things done 'the proper way', he put us in a bind. If we don't honor this agreement, our word will have no weight. We're outnumbered and now, Orys went behind our back and basically told us to wait for the enemy to come to them. This is exactly the Arrogant king's fight!"

Rhaenys sighed, shaking her head at Orys' ignorance. It was no secret that he didn't like Jaenyx's approach to war and how Aegon just went along with it, as he trained in the knightly conduct of war. She loved her brother, but he just ruined a perfectly good strategy of keeping the enemy off-balance. Now, they had to fight outnumbered in the field because of his promise and the Arrogant king will never allow this to go unanswered since he'd understand what losing Bronzegate would do.

However, Rhaenys also understood that Jaenyx would likely disregard Orys' promise and go take Bronzegate anyway. If that occurred, there would be a huge fight between her brother and good-brother, with effects possibly leading to a permanent rift. She had to stop that before it happened.

Rhaenys stood up and left the solar. "Where are you going, Rhae?" their father called out.

"To Bronzegate. They might need all of the dragons present when we do fight against the Arrogant king." Rhaenys was set as she dressed in her dragon coat, strapped her dagger and quiver, and placed her bow on her back before proceeding to Meraxes. She hoped that her lessons with Haru for the last few weeks would be enough as she yelled "Sōvēs!" to Meraxes and flew into the air towards the Storm kingdom.

**Lots and lots of stuff to uncover. The beginning part with Haru making Rhaenys kill that prisoner took me back to when I was training in martial arts, but under much less extreme circumstances. Still, it messed me up and I hope I portrayed that well.**

**And now, probably the most controversial part of the story so far: the magical communication between Rhaenys and Brandon Snow. I am going with the theory that Brandon Snow had the greensight, since how else would he gotten the idea of using weirwood arrows to kill the dragons before Torrhen Stark surrendered. Rhaenys might have the dragon dreams, but as I explained, it's a different form that greensight. That being said, I have this idea that all of the magic in Westeros might have different forms, but they have the same foundation. My main source was Brynden Rivers, who had the blood of dragons and the blood of the First Men before becoming the Three-Eyed Raven. I'm guessing that a combination of multiple forms of magic allowed for a very potent mixture and thus allowing Brynden Rivers to be this great greenseer, since two forms of magic is more powerful than one. Also, the idea about the magic allowing access to a common space existing in a parallel reality was inspired by a lot of theories from theoretical physics and metaphysics regarding the multi-verse. But don't take my word for it, as I don't fully comprehend both since many of them just go over my head. But I hope my explanations were sufficient. **

**And Orys making that deal with Lord Buckler, inspired by Edward Bruce with the governor of Stirling Castle before the Battle of Bannockburn (1314). You fucked it, Orys! **

**Next, the Last Storm!**


	22. Orys I

ORYS I

"_Do you realize what you've just done?!_" Orys was shocked at how livid Jaenyx was. Usually reserved most of the time and assertive when need be, he had never seen him so angry and his dragonfire rivalled their father's and Aegon's. _I should have made them privy to my plans, then they would understand_. Thankfully, Visenya put her arms around Jaenyx's neck and kissed him on the cheek, which calmed him down considerably. But he still looked very incensed.

"You know we love you, Orys," Aegon spoke while he crossed his arms. "But I have to agree with Jae here. You made a serious decision without telling us and now you put all of us in a situation where we can't get out of. I told you to make preparations to storm Bronzegate while I went to the bridge at cousin Daemon's request, but what do you do? You go behind our backs and essentially make us play by the Arrogant king's rules."

"That's not what this is, Egg," Orys responded.

"And what do you call this?" Visenya glared at Orys while her arms were still wrapped around Jaenyx. "We just eliminated the Swanns from the battlefield. We're talking about a marcher lord here, Orys, not just some regular house. In addition, Jae and I were having a lot of success in attacking their weaker forces and baggage trains, denying the Arrogant king's northern forces supplies while making them feel unsafe in their own home. The strategy that we agreed upon at Haystack Hall was working until you decided to ruin that."

Orys knew that while Visenya loved him as a sister loved her brother, her first loyalty was to her husband and she supported Jaenyx without question. Like Aegon, Orys was happy that Visenya finally found someone who could really love and cherish her after so long, but his heart was tinged with dejection at her not understanding what he was doing.

Orys nodded. "Yes, the strategy we agreed upon was working. You and Jaenyx stopped the first of the marcher lords from mustering with the other forces of the Arrogant king while attacking his supply lines. Meanwhile, Egg and I were able to keep the main forces of the Durrandons focused on Bronzegate while making them blind to all else. That being said and I didn't want to say this at Haystack Hall in front of our subordinates, this strategy would only work if the Arrogant king took too long to marshal his army."

"Dear brother, would you care to explain exactly what you're thinking about?" Orys looked at Rhaenys. Like the others, she was very confused at Orys' deal with Lord Buckler, but she was gracious enough to hear him out and was able to keep Aegon from getting too vexed at him. For that, he was grateful.

Orys sighed. "Sooner or later, Argilac will be able to assemble the full might of his army. We're not dealing with Black Harren here, whose lords hesitated at his call. He may be old, but the stormlords still admire and respect him as a warrior. Vis and Jaenyx may have stopped the Swanns from joining him, but we still have other marcher lords that would answer his call such as the Selmys, the Dondarrions, and the Carons. Unlike the Swanns, they spent centuries in closer contact with the Dornish and therefore are much more battle-hardened. Not only that, we have yet to meet the Tarths, the Conningtons, the Estermonts, the Morrigens, and the Wyldes among other houses, which is a good thing. However, we won't be fighting just a small portion of the Durrandons' forces forever."

"_So what is your point_?" Jaenyx asked impatiently.

"Before he can rally more forces against us, I thought of a way to have him come to us while giving him an opportunity that he can't refuse. Like me and Egg, Argilac has been trained in the knightly conduct of war and understands the importance of honor. The thing about knights is that they will always attempt to win in the field with as little bloodshed as possible and honor demands that an agreement be made between two knights before combat is initiated."

Jaenyx looked bored. Orys' first instinct was to feel really annoyed by his lack of respect for Westerosi traditions, but was reminded that he was not of Westeros at all.

"So," Orys continued. "By making that agreement with Lord Buckler, I ensured that Argilac will come to us. But we will have the advantage since we could choose the ground of the battle and Argilac will be so bound by honor and the need to show his potency before his sworn lords that he will not meet us with the sufficient forces."

"What do you mean?" Rhaenys raised her eyebrows.

"I gave Argilac one moon to relieve Bronzegate before Lord Buckler surrenders the castle. We might have been in the Storm kingdom for weeks now, but a moon turn is still not enough time to assemble, supply, and train the force he needs to defeat us. Most importantly, he is under time constraints more severe than ours since we've been inflicting defeat after defeat upon him. If he doesn't respond to us soon, he risks losing control of his lords. So, he'll ride out to meet us despite not having the necessary troops."

"Wait, how do you all know this, Orys?" Aegon asked, but he looked very impressed at Orys' reasoning.

Orys shrugged. "It's what I would do honestly, if I were in his boots."

There was silence in the tent, as Orys' explanations sunk in. Orys might not have been as sneaky as Jaenyx, as creative as Visenya, or as commanding as Aegon. However, he did understand how knights would conduct themselves in war, which extended to the lords and kings of Westeros. Orys then decided to utilize that knowledge towards making the Arrogant king march towards them instead of the other way around. He was not blind to the geographical obstacles of the Storm kingdom and if they had continued their advance, defeating the Durrandons would have been more difficult since they would be on the defensive. By switching their positions, Orys hoped to take away Argilac's geographical advantages by goading him into attacking them on grounds of their choosing. They could then prepare the ground and plan out tactics to maximize their own advantages. _Hopefully, they recognize that_.

However, Jaenyx remained the detractor in the group. "_You just had to do it, huh_?"

Orys blinked. "What do you mean by that?"

Jaenyx shook his head, apparently in disapproval. "_I know that you didn't like how we were approaching the Arrogant king. You hated all these sneaking around and tip-toeing and that got you to force this on us because of your impetuousness_."

"Jae," Aegon growled.

"We cannot just move around in small groups forever," Orys shot back. "We had to fight eventually."

"_And your response to do this behind our backs? I knew you were bullheaded, but I never thought you were foolish!"_

"Jae," Aegon repeated, but now with his voice raised.

"Oh, I'm foolish?" Orys scoffed. "What about you? What happened to the man who fought at Wailing Willows? Was that man replaced by a craven?"

Jaenyx snorted. "_Only someone like you would confuse good sense with cowardice_."

Orys narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean 'someone like me?'"

Aegon stepped in. "Okay, I think that's enough-"

"No, no, Egg. Let's hear what he has to say to me," Orys waved him off.

"_You really want to know, Orys_?" Jaenyx asked. But Orys sensed that he wasn't going to like what he heard.

"Kessa," Orys responded while using the few High Valyrian words he knew.

Aegon closed his eyes and shook his head, resigned to how this conversation was going. Rhaenys just stood there, anxious at the next words. Visenya obviously didn't like the direction of the conversation, but it was clear that she would stand by Jaenyx no matter what.

"_All right. I can see that you do resemble Lord Targaryen in a way, but you're too far disconnected from the blood of Valyria. Your mannerisms, your way of speech, your posture, how you think, it's all part of this backwater. I would think that someone of true Valyrian stock would not stoop so low to the ways of these mongrels_."

Aegon looked at Jaenyx with shock, as did Rhaenys. Visenya tightened her lips, but still held on to Jaenyx.

"_You have the blood of a great people flowing inside you, Orys, but you choose to throw that away to become accepted by those who do not respect us or our way of life. If you were truly proud of your heritage, you would not have allowed yourself to be affected by those lesser than us._"

"And what about you?!" Orys shouted back. "Yes, you're a dragonrider and what you've brought to our family can never be repaid no matter how hard we try. But you're clinging onto the ways of a civilization that already had its chance. And you think that you're so above those in Westeros that you don't have to conform to their ways? That attitude is a sure way of getting yourself killed and nobody will support you when you need them."

"_I already have people to help me. I don't need others_," Jaenyx responded.

"Huh!" Orys huffed. "You said to our father when you did that stunt with the dowry that we're all that's left of Valyria, but I don't think you really believe that."

"_What do you mean?_"

Orys pointed a finger at him. "You say you're proud of being a Valyrian, but you practice Yi-Tish combat arts and speak their language. If you really were so stuck in the ways of Valyria, you wouldn't have married Vis or treated Rhae and Egg with love in the first place since they're both of Valyria and of Westeros. Also, you wouldn't have taken the time to learn the common tongue if you truly disrespected the ways of Westeros. So the way I see it, just as I'm not strongly rooted in Valyria, the same could be said of you."

Orys could see that a hint of doubt flash across Jaenyx's face, which meant that he was getting to him. He felt the need to press further. "Oh, that's right. Maybe you don't know this. But the world is different now and I thought you'd understand the necessity to adapt like our father did before you came. The Valyria as you know it is dead, gone from the face of the earth. And it's never coming back, just like your parents and brother."

Rhaenys gasped. Aegon's mouth dropped, horrified at what Orys just said. Visenya sucked in a mouthful of air, upset that Orys would be so unwise as to bring Jaenyx's deceased family and thus her family into this.

But nothing prepared Orys for when he looked at Jaenyx. Usually calm, his face twisted and turned while he was aggressively grinding his teeth. Every part of his body vibrated while his fists tightened into shaky balls. As for the eyes, Orys never seen such intense flames and such rage emerging from behind his sharp amethyst eyes, making him flinch. What's more, he heard a dragon screech outside, specifically from Cloudwynd. But unlike the others, this was a cry filled with pain. Dragons were bonded to their riders and would understand instantly what their riders were feeling.

It was only then that Orys finally understood what he had just said. "Jaenyx," he began, eyes widening as he felt horror and shame burst through him. "I didn't… I…"

His self-control vanished, Jaenyx moved to launch himself at Orys. The only reason why he was not bashing his head in was both Visenya and Aegon moving to restrain him. Rhaenys was just too shocked by what was happening to respond.

"Jae, come on! He didn't mean it!" Aegon tried to reason with him.

"_I don't care! He brought my family into this_!"

"But he's our brother and thus our family. I won't let you hurt him," Aegon responded while struggling to push him away from Orys.

Then, Visenya whispered something in his ear. Orys didn't know what she said, but it apparently calmed him down. As for Orys, he stood there with his shoulders slumped and head downwards, mortified at what he just said.

"Everyone!" Aegon came to the middle of the group after Jaenyx was calmer. "Let's not forget about why we're here in the first place. What's done is done and we have a battle to plan. Let's just focus on winning against Argilac and we will sort this all out afterwards. Can we agree on that?"

Although ten years younger than him, Aegon was more assertive and commanding than Orys could ever hope to be. Others would have their pride hurt at being surpassed in such areas by their younger siblings, but Orys was mature enough to know when to let those able take the reins. Leave it to Aegon to reassert control over a volatile situation.

Jaenyx sighed, but still shot daggers at Orys. Before he said anything, Visenya spoke up. "We agree on that, Egg. Let's win first," she nodded before dragging Jaenyx out of tent.

As for Aegon, he moved to Rhaenys and put his arm around her shoulders as they also left.

"Egg, I-"

Aegon shook his head. "Not now, brother. You're in the wrong as much as Jae is. But we have more pressing matters to attend to. After we fight against Argilac, we'll all talk together."

Orys opened his mouth to protest, but closed it out of shame for what he said and seeing the sense in Aegon's words. Nodding, Orys saw Aegon and Rhaenys leave the tent.

Orys collapsed onto a chair as he gazed upon a map of the Storm kingdom. _Oh, the gods. Please forgive me for my foolishness_, Orys prayed in the hopes of willing his shame away.

* * *

The last time he and Jaenyx exchanged any words still weighed on Orys' mind. Aegon and Rhaenys still talked to him and while Visenya gave him no ill will towards him through her soft gaze, she kept her distance from him out of respect for her husband. He wanted to defend his reasoning for getting Argilac out onto the field of battle, but he instead endangered the tranquility in their family. But as Aegon said, they will sort all of this out after the battle.

They still kept a small force surrounding Bronzegate to prevent Lord Buckler and his garrison from intervening while moving the majority of their forces towards an elevated position southwest of the castle. It was far enough from Bronzegate to prevent any of its archers letting loose on them while close enough for its defenders to bear witness to the battle.

Their elevated position, which in reality included many hills with many boulders, sloped down to a field that had creeks on both sides of it. This grassy field ran from the forests that stopped just south of Bronzegate towards the various mountains that surrounded Storm's End, and a large portion of this field was utilized as a bread basket for both Houses Buckler and Durrandon. The hills where they were positioned on ran from one creek to the next and coupled with the forests behind them and on their sides, this was a perfect defensive position.

The dragons began constructing wooden stockades to position their archers and other missile weapons and placed wooden stakes in front of them. While the hills could slow down a cavalry charge, they weren't taking any chances and both the stakes and the stockades would blunt any charge by armored knights against their more lightly-armored troops. Like in the other battles, the archers would use armor-piercing arrows but were also told to use broadhead arrows against infantry. Although not as fast as their other arrows, broadheads were particularly nasty in that their main purpose was to cause as much damage to the flesh as possible and any attempt to pull them out would result in massive bleeding. Even if they were shot in the arm, their enemies would certainly be incapicitated enough to get them out of the fight.

As they were constructing the wooden stockades and further studying the field before them, Rhaenys and Visenya rode on Meraxes and Vhagar to scout out the enemy. When they came back, they discovered the forces of the Durrandons marching towards Bronzegate and estimated them to be a week away. Regarding their numbers, Rhaenys and Visenya both estimated at least fifteen thousand troops were converging on their positions, an impressive host to have assembled within a moonturn. Just yesterday, scouts on the ground had returned to the position on the hills and informed them of the oncoming host while confirming that at least fifteen thousand troops were indeed approaching them, with at least eight thousand cavalry. Facing them were eleven thousand men coming from various houses such as the Tarareons, the Blackwoods, the Rosbys, and the Stokeworths alongside two thousand cavalry. But Argilac would be foolish to assume that they were green, as the core had fought from Rook's Rest to Haystack Hall while the Blackwoods had fought with them from Wailing Willows to their fight in the woods against the Swanns. Whatever disadvantage they may have had was compensated by how battle-hardened their troops had become.

That night, Orys, Aegon, Jaenyx, Visenya, Rhaenys, Chrass Rivers, Rhaedar Tarareon, Jon Rosby, and other commanders convened at a tent in the forests between their position on the hills and Bronzegate to go over their tactical plan. The creeks and the forests would prevent Argilac's cavalry from conducting an effective charge, which was the greatest asset available to them. They could not outflank them, as the creeks and forests would such movements and would force them to form up within the space between the creeks. So essentially, they only had one way to attack them and that was to advance towards the hills.

At the same time, they would be remiss to think that they cavalry was the only asset they had. From what Rhaenys and Visenya found out, they had scores of infantry, men-at-arms, and bowmen accompanying them. It was possible that they could begin the battle with an arrow barrage and if any of those bowmen came from the Dornish Marches, many would die. And if their infantry and men-at-arms were able to get into close contact with their own troops, they would be hard pressed to push them back. More importantly, there was a possibility that Argilac might not attack at all since he would know better than to attack an army on higher ground, in which he would elect to delay the battle until substantial forces from his bannermen came to his aid.

But their problems didn't stop there. While atop Meraxes, Rhaenys saw storm clouds coming from the southeast over the narrow sea. They all then cursed themselves for not taking into account the possibility of rains during the summer years, given how humid the Storm kingdom was. Rain during battle could work for and against both sides, as the attackers might be slowed by mud but that meant the defenders wouldn't be able to use their more mobile assets in the battle. The dragons could undoubtedly turn the tide of the battle, but no one had used them in rain before and they could be in serious trouble if their dragonfire was somehow affected by water.

Thus, their only option was to force Argilac to attack him. They would position most of their forces behind the stockades while placing a few forces in front of them as bait. But in order for the enemy to spring the trap, they had to put a couple of their leading commanders in order to make the bait more enticing for Argilac. Orys volunteered, with Aegon following. Rhaenys kissed him hard on the cheek before telling him to come back safe while Visenya and Jaenyx silently told them "Good luck," but with Jaenyx avoiding eye contact with Orys.

Once the enemy got close enough to the bait, they would fight for a few moments before retreating to the stockades and within lethal range of their archers. They expected Argilac to send his cavalry forward, which would allow the archers to take out his best assets in the first moments of the battle. Hopefully, the rain would create enough of a muddy bog to slow them down and their subsequent infantry charge before they made their own attack. Once the enemy charge had been blunted, they would move forward with an infantry advance filed with pikes, axes, and swords under the cover of arrows. They would then use the bog to their advantage against the enemy and work their way through. Meanwhile, the dragons would be used to take the archers, any reserves, and cut off any retreat.

By the morning, they had went over the plan again when they saw the enemy host emerge from the mountains and on the opposite end of the field. Orys could make out banners such as the Estermonts, the Tarths, the Penroses, and even two marcher houses in the Selmys and the Dondarrions. _That was quick_, Orys thought, even though he saw less forces than he would expect of marcher lords, which meant they only had the forces they could muster at short notice.

But what was intriguing about the host was who was in the front. There were twenty knights with yellow sashes over their plate armor flanking a man dressed in elaborate plate armor. Unlike the knights who wore helms, he wore a golden coronet that seemed to have been fashioned from stag antlers. Although his bushy gray beard and his fading black hair growing past his shoulders betrayed his age, this man held his head up high and looked towards his adversaries with a steel gaze. Age may have taken away any good looks he was known for in the past, but both his blue eyes and his posture told his enemies to disregard his warrior capabilities at their own peril if they thought that age made him impotent. He had what seemed to be a greatsword strapped to his left side and a yellow cape lined with black clasped to his shoulders. With this particular entourage carrying the banners of a black stag against a field of yellow and a crown around its neck, Orys had no doubt in his mind on who this was.

_The Arrogant king himself. He really came_, Orys thought with glee. His plan had succeeded in drawing him out. If they could capture or even kill him, it would be over.

Orys and Aegon both mounted their horses and led a group of pikemen and men-at-arms to the front of the stockades. Jaenyx and Visenya remained behind them to coordinate their arrow volleys and infantry advance when the time came. Like at Wailing Willows, Rhaenys would command the dragons until later and because her abilities in the bow would probably not hold up well in battle yet. Their roles confirmed, they moved into position. A strangely dead silence flooded the field as both armies got into formation and waited for the other to make the first move.

But as they both prepared to end their stand off, Orys looked up and saw grey clouds forming over the field. Then, the distinctive crack of lightning pierced through followed by a deafening thunder. The storms coming in would only make the battle more difficult to fight and there were so many things that could go wrong whenever rain came down on the fighting.

"Nervous, brother?" Orys asked to Aegon. Orys could sense that he was a little anxious, which Orys admittedly also felt.

"Of course," Aegon nodded. "But I believe that's what will keep you alive, because why else would we fight harder if we didn't want to live?"

"Well, Egg, you have Rhae to fight for. You have someone to return to," Orys stated.

But Aegon sensed his other meaning. "Don't worry, Orys, you'll find someone," he grasped his shoulder. Orys wanted to say more, but the battle and the rain were more pressing and he just nodded his thanks.

Just then, another bolt of lightning cracked through the clouds followed by even more piercing thunder. Orys felt a raindrop splash on his face before what seemed like a drizzle turned to a heavy pour. Nodding to Aegon, they brought down their helms to keep their faces as dry as possible. The heavy rain turned to the field into a muddy bog, just as they knew it would. _I pray to the gods that this works_.

What they did not expect was cheering from Argilac's host and the Arrogant king himself riding along his army. Both Orys and Aegon were able to hear his words.

"You feel this rain? You hear this thunder? I am the blood of Durran Godsgrief, who even the gods couldn't destroy with their storms. I have fought with you all in Dorne, at Summerfield, against Black Harren, and at Volantis. For many years have I led you all against those that would take your homes and families away from you, and now the gods have decided to reward your loyalty with this storm. Those dragonspawn shits may have burned Harrenhal, but they will stand no chance against the might and valor of those who would fight under the banner of the Durrandons. This storm is only the gods giving their blessing to coat this field of battle with their blood. Will we let these foreigners take our lands?!" The soldiers of the stormlords all yelled "No!" "Will we allow them one more inch onto this field?!" Another "no." "Will we let them burn our homes like they did to Black Harren?!" Another "no." "Then, let us fight and show them all what true warriors are!" Argilac drew his greatsword to more cheering from his men.

Aegon sighed. "They really don't understand, do they?"

"Only one way to make them understand, brother," Orys replied. "And unfortunately, you'll have to spill their blood."

"Let's get into position," Aegon nudged his horse towards the left side while Orys went to the right. Both made sure to make themselves as visible and identifiable as possible so as to make their enemies come to them.

After Orys got onto the right, he saw a knight charging towards him, his lance lowered and his destrier galloping as hard as it could through the mud. The forces of the stormlords had grown quiet as they watched one of their own galloping onto the field ahead of them. Judging from how Argilac was watching, this knight was apparently acting against orders and the impatience of youth pushing him to ride ahead of his brothers.

Orys could tell that this knight was very young despite his lowered helm. He had a rather modest stature, which he made up for with a well-maintained set of plate armor, a longsword at his left side, an axe on his right side, and armor on his horse. This knight's war horse was powerful, made more evident by how fast it was moving despite the mud. As he got closer, Orys could make his sigil on his armor: three stalks of yellow wheat. If he remembered correctly, this was the sigil of House Selmy of Harvest Hall, one of the marcher lords. Judging from this knight's age and how recklessly he was acting, he must not be directly in line to inherit any lands and was thus seeking personal glory by striking at one of his king's enemy's leaders.

Orys shook his head, his displeasure at killing a man who seemed to have just earned his spurs hidden behind his helm. However, it was either him or Orys, so he prepared himself for the Selmy knight, Ser whatever his name was.

Orys and his horse stood completely still, waiting as the knight galloped closer to him. He fought at a few tourneys on the mainland years ago and knew how this went, but he could tell that this knight must've confused jousting with a real fight from how he kept his lance steady and maintained his direction. If Orys was fighting a few years ago, he would have done the same thing, but the recent battles made him wiser on the differences between tourneys and the real thing alongside the importance of approaching battle with solemness.

Orys stood his ground until the last moment, when the Selmy knight's lance almost touched him. Orys then maneuvered his horse quickly to one side, stood up in his stirrups, pulled out his Valyrian steel axe, and slammed Selmy so hard that his helm was pierced through and Orys could hear bone cracking and blood spattering. Pulling out his axe, he saw that the knight's head was split in two and he was thankful for the helm covering what was left of it as the knight's lifeless body fell into the mud. He killed before, but Orys felt something strange for this young knight that decided to act against his king's orders.

However, just as he sat back down on his horse, Orys heard cheers from behind him. Turning around, he saw that the troops on both sides of the stockades and thrusted their weapons high and shouting "Hurrah" for their commander. He looked upon Visenya, who smiled at him with pride. He looked at Jaenyx, who still stared at him with hostility but whose gaze slightly softened at Orys' undeniable courage. He looked towards Aegon, who gave him a nod but Orys knew that despite the helm he was smiling.

Then, Orys heard four dragon roars pierce through the stormy skies, all of them roaring in approval. He had no doubt what Rhaenys felt as all four dragons descended upon the Argilac's host. A mixture of blue, black, orange, and yellow dragonfire came upon the stormlords' bowmen, consuming them and turning them all into ash before they even got a volley out. Balerion and Meraxes also shot their flames at the rear of the stormlord host, cutting off the enemy's retreat just like at Dragonstone and at Wailing Willows. This was to force the enemy forward while taking away their bowmen. The mud and the rain would slow them down as they advanced towards the stockade.

Two wings of heavy stormlord cavalry advanced ahead of the main host before galloping into a charge, no doubt to avenge their fallen brother but also to destroy troops that seemed out of place outside of the stockades.

"Form up!" Orys ordered as the pikes got into a schiltron. Although they were also deep in the mud, they didn't have to worry about moving as much as their mounted adversaries. As long as they held position, they could withstand the first charge. They were also out of range of their own bowmen, but that was the point as their purpose was to draw more of the enemy close before they unleashed their missiles.

"Steady!" Orys ordered as the cavalry came closer. But as they did, they were slowed by the muddy bog and only their persistence kept their horses going forward.

At last, the enemy cavalry slammed into Orys' schiltron, but many were unhorsed as the troops stood fast and their pikes stabbed into their horses while many fell into the mud. Scores of horses and knights fell into the mud while the knights that could stand attempted to fight their way through the pikes. However, they were cut down by the pikes' thrust and struggled to move through the many horses and knights that were struggling to wade through the bog. Orys looked to the left and saw the same result.

Orys then looked back towards the field and saw two more wings of heavy cavalry galloping towards them. Their purpose served, Orys yelled, "Withdraw, men! Withdraw!" Raising their pikes, the schiltron troops moved fast towards the creek on their right and ran along its shores to reposition behind the stockades. After seeing most of them making it, Orys himself withdrew and made it to the center stockade, where he met Aegon, Visenya, and Jaenyx.

"Good job, brothers," Visenya said. "Now comes the next part."

"Indeed, Vis," Aegon nodded. The remnants of the first cavalry charge attempted to reform themselves while the second cavalry charge came closer to the stockades.

"Archers, nock!" Visenya ordered. Jaenyx also ordered the Tarareons to ready their javelins, who would throw them over the stockages while the archers would let loose their volleys over them and through its openings.

"Volley, loose!" A stream of javelins and armor-piercing arrows slammed down onto the combined knight charge, cutting many of them down while incapacitating many more. Man and beast alike were not spared as arrow and javelin buried themselves in both. The knights who by some miracle managed to remain mounted were stopped from going further by the stakes planted in front of the stockades, before they were cut down by arrows shot through the openings. All the while, the rain poured on them and thunder continued to echo in the skies.

Eventually, the combined arrow and javelin barrages and the mud slowing them down caused combined waves of Argilac's mounted forces to break and retreat. Their enemies had attempted to outflank the stockades, but strong responses on both ends prevented them from doing so. Upon seeing that Argilac had used his mounted forces, they all got out from behind the stockades and formed up schiltrons while their own mounted forces began to gallop along the creeks.

Orys would lead the right flank while Aegon took the right and Visenya and Jaenyx took the center. Their dragons remained behind the stockades as Rhaenys would not be able to guide them with the rain slamming against her face.

Orys then saw that the enemy infantry was advancing towards them, with Argilac and his personal entourage leading them while still on horseback. He prepared himself, fighting the urge to fight him head on and focusing on maintaining formation. The schiltrons marched forward steadily, their pikes lowered while the enemy infantry suddenly broke ranks and charged at them.

"Hold, men!" Orys shouted as the enemy infantry came closer. Then, came the crash as they collided against each other, pike meeting sword and axe. However, the pikes stood true as weeks of instilling discipline into the men had paid off. As scores of the enemy infantry were cut down, the schiltrons simply stepped over their corpses as they pressed forward. At the same time, their archers had formed in front of the stockades and let loose at will against the enemy, bringing more of them down.

Slowly but steadily, they pushed the enemy force towards their end of the field as bodies of both forces littered the field behind them. But it was clear who was keeping steady and who was slowly losing ground. Adding to their problems were the Tarareon mounted archers forming their customary circle and shooting into the enemy's flanks.

Finally deciding that he had enough of waiting, Orys shouted, "Break ranks! Engage the enemy!" Bringing up his axe, he moved through the schiltron and slammed his axe down onto an enemy footman's head. Prompted by their leader, the schiltron broke ranks, dropped their pikes and started engaging the enemy at their own will with their swords and axes. Soon, the other schiltrons followed suit as thousands engaged in close combat, turning the field into a muddy brawl.

Careful not to slip on the mud, Orys buried his axe into an enemy's chest before moving onto another. He parried another's sword thrust by grappling onto the blade with his axe's head, pulling on it and ripping the sword from his hand before swinging it upwards towards his left leg, chopping it off and allowing Orys to finish him with slam against his chest.

Orys waded through the mud, cutting through many other enemy infantry before he came across a knight with a yellow sash. With his longsword drawn, the knight then attempted to thrust at Orys before he slid to the right and used his shaft to strike at his face, stunning him. Orys then spun around and buried the axe against his back, making the knight yell in pain as he collapsed on the ground before Orys then threw his axe down onto his head, cutting through his helm and splitting his head in two like he did with that Selmy knight.

What Orys did not expect to see next was the Arrogant king himself. His antler crown still adorning his head, he was covered in mud, his white hair and beard drenched in rainwater, and his greatsword slashing through one of their men's throats, a Stokeworth by the looks of him. Even in his old age, he could still kill and using a greatsword took skill and strength to handle. It wasn't long before the Arrogant king turned around and noticed Orys.

Orys saw a fury behind his eyes as the Arrogant teeth made visible his teeth. He gripped his greatsword tightly as he readied himself.

"You!" the Arrogant king bellowed. "You killed my nephew, my sister's son!"

Orys knew that he was talking about the Selmy knight. "I'm sorry," he simply offered as he readied his axe.

"No matter," the Arrogant king shook his head. "He shall be avenged." He charged through the mud and struck at Orys, who just managed to avoid his thrust.

Orys parried the Arrogant king's greatsword as he swung downwards. However, he proved his warrior reputation true by bringing his helm to Orys' face, stunning him and making him step backwards. He then thrusted again, this time stabbing him through the opening in his armor over his waist.

Yelling in pain, Orys grasped his waist as he saw blood coming out of it.

"Hurts, doesn't it, bastard?" Argilac taunted. "Oh, I know who you are. The bastard of Dragonstone, the one who can't even claim a woman for his own. This day will show why bastards are never meant to outlast their fathers and why no one spills the blood of Durran Godsgrief."

"If it is your wish, King Argilac, I shall save you from the fires that have consumed Harrenhal. I will give you a soldier's death," Orys shot back as steadied himself and brought his axe back up.

"You can try, bastard," Argilac said before he brought up his greatsword and charged at him with a yell.

Orys brought his axe up, but as Argilac closed the distance, he feigned striking from above and instead ducked as he avoided the greatsword's swing before using the axe's shaft to push him away and throwing him off-balance. Orys then swung his axe downward and struck him in the right foot, prompting a painful cry from Argilac.

Orys took out the axe before he heard, "Protect the king!" He prepared himself to fight more of Argilac's entourage, only to see Aegon, Visenya, and Jaenyx intervene alongside Chrass Rivers, Rhaedar Tarareon, Kenzou Haru, and others. With all of them keeping his personal guard busy, Orys continued the fight.

Argilac still had powerful swings, but he couldn't move as much with his right foot destroyed. Seeing his chance, Orys parried another of his swings before bringing the shaft up to his face, stunning the Arrogant king again and breaking his nose before he used his axe's head to grab onto his greatsword and force it out of his hand. Orys threw a final punch at his face, knocking him to the ground and making collapse into the mud.

Orys let the moment sink in for a short moment. He had just disarmed and incapacitated Argilac Durrandon, one of the great warrior-kings of Westeros and the one who slayed Garse Gardener at Summerfield. The whole fight seemed so… dreamlike to him, as knights rarely fought and won against a king and even rarer for bastards to do so. Shaking out of his daze, Orys pulled out his dagger as the Arrogant king got up and brought it to his throat.

"Yield!" Orys yelled as loudly as he could so that the rest of the enemy army could hear and see their king on his knees. Gradually, the fighting stopped as all looked upon Orys, the bastard of Dragonstone, holding the Durrandon king at his mercy.

"Well, what do you know? The bastard of Dragonstone managing to wound a king. Would you like my crown?" Argilac dryly remarked.

"Yield, Your Grace," Orys decided to afford him the respect he deserved. "I have no wish to kill you."

"If you believe that I will allow myself to be taken prisoner to be ransomed, by a bastard no less, you are gravely mistaken. You promised me a soldier's death, so give it," Argilac asked strongly.

Orys looked at Aegon, Visenya, and Jaenyx. While Jaenyx looked as if he didn't care what happened, both Aegon and Visenya looked at him with trust, showing that they would support his decision at that moment no matter what it was. Such was why Orys would fight and die for his family no matter what, as they treated him as their brother and not as a bastard.

Taking a breath, Orys stared back at Argilac. "For the crimes against Dragonstone and our ally House Belaerys, you are now in our custody."

"KILL ME NOW!" Argilac shouted, now out of desperation.

"No," Orys shook his head. "If you think me a man to kill another on his knees, you thought wrong. You will come back to Dragonstone with us and you will be valuable in negotiating an end to this pathetic war, one that you started." Orys sheathed his dagger and turned around.

However, Orys heard Aegon yell, "Look out!" He turned around and just avoided Argilac's dagger thrust. Pushing the dagger away, he brought up his axe and pushed the sharp edge of his axe's head towards his chest. Flesh and bone was cut through as the axe buried itself further into Argilac's heart. With blood coming out of his mouth, there was no doubt that Orys delivered a killing blow.

As Argilac collapsed back onto his knees, for good this time, he gave Orys a sick smile before the light left his eyes and his body hit the mud. As for Orys, he stood there, shocked that the Arrogant king would be so desperate to die in battle that he would force Orys to kill him even after the battle was over.

As Orys tried to take his axe out, he saw that the shaft was near snapping, no doubt the strike against the Selmy knight and against Argilac's chest stressing it beyond what it could take. He would have to ask Aevor Rahitheon for another axe, or he might use this opportunity to finally get a warhammer.

Orys walked away in silence as their troops cheered for their commander and the enemies dropped their weapons and surrendered. He noticed that the rains and thunder had ceased, with calm grey clouds remaining. He didn't know if he should be glad that his strategy paid off or disturbed by how much Argilac wanted to die after losing to him. Regardless, he would take a full day's rest as the battle was finally over.

**Whoo, the Last Storm! And here, we have our first Orys chapter. Inspirations came from the Battle of Bannockburn (especially the duel between the Robert the Bruce and Henry de Bohun), Battle of Watling Street, and the Battle of Nagashino (thank you, Longclaw 1-6, for the suggestion). That duel between Orys Baratheon and the Selmy knight, couldn't resist thinking what would have happened had Robert Baratheon not been so merciful to Barristan Selmy. **

**This battle was the most difficult one so far. I could write tactics and strategies, but I was struggling to write a battle that would befit Argilac Durrandon. I didn't want to gloss over the fight between Orys and Argilac, since that will be the first major single combat in this story. So, I hope I met expectations. I also wanted to show how limited the dragons would be in the rain, so I hope I showed that well. **

**Regarding the argument between Jaenyx and Orys, I told you all that there will be a blowup due to Jaenyx's strong grasping of Valyria and this is one of them. Both Orys and Jaenyx are right and wrong about each other, but Orys made a huge mistake in mentioning his family. I hope I showed that well. **

**We have one more chapter before we wrap up the starting stages of the Conquest and move on to the major, larger part of the Conquest. Stay tuned!**


	23. Visenya VI

**To all my readers, MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAVE A GREAT NEW YEAR! **

**Please enjoy my gift to you all! **

VISENYA VI

Visenya waited outside the gates of Bronzegate, now flying the three-headed red dragon banner of House Targaryen and the blue dragon banner of House Belaerys after Lord Buckler honored his agreement and surrendered his castle after seeing the battle that had killed his king. She stood beside Jaenyx, who partly remained at Bronzegate to help manage affairs but mostly to keep him separated from Orys while he and Aegon took half of their forces through the mountains southwards and towards the outskirts of Storm's End. After that argument before the battle with the Arrogant king, Visenya and her siblings thought it best to put distance between Jaenyx and Orys so as to prevent their hot blood from precluding chances to work out their differences.

As for Visenya, she loved Jaenyx and would stand by him no matter what, but it tore her heart to see her brother and her husband come close to trading blows with each other because of how different they were. She never thought any less of Orys, as their father's blood and the blood of dragons ran through him as it did for her, Rhaenys, and Aegon. After seeing how their mother treated him before she moved past her irrational loathing, Visenya did all she could to make him feel included in the family whether it be sparring in the training yard or taking him on a ride on Vhagar when she visited Oldtown. She didn't think much on the whole "earning the spurs" process of knighthood, but she knew that to be knighted was a dream for Orys and she pushed his limits in their training sessions so that no one would ever dare to doubt the bastard of Dragonstone who worked for his knighthood when the time came. In return, Orys put his all in helping Visenya become the warrior dragon that all Dragonstone knew her for. The first few sessions ended miserably and in tears for Visenya, but Orys simply urged to get up and try again alongside Quenton Qoherys. Eventually, she was able to find her own way of fighting and eventually defeated both Orys and Aegon in a spar.

At the same time, one of the things that made Visenya attracted to Jaenyx was how deeply rooted he was in the ways of old Valyria. Unlike the Westerosi lordlings who were skeptical of her being skilled in the combat arms and not being the submissive lady she was expected to be, people like Taygor Leniar, Aevor Rahitheon, and Ragaemor and Maerys Tarareon never thought less of her because of that and instead allowed her to make decisions as they did for their male lords. Like Jaenyx, the Valyrians who came with him to Dragonstone made her feel valued for the first time in her life, as people outside her family deferred to her and let her take the reins without thinking less of her because she was a woman. Ragaemor Tarareon taught her some Valyrian battle tactics she never learned before in her childhood, Maerys Tarareon proved to her through how her crew unquestionably followed her that being a woman didn't matter as long as you were assertive, and Aevor Rahitheon taught her a few basics about blacksmithing, a trade that very few women could hope to succeed in if the strong reluctance of the male smiths said anything.

However, Visenya should have expected that Jaenyx's stubborn clinging to Valyria would have inevitably caused conflicts with their family and that Orys wouldn't budge in how he interacted with the world. She didn't totally disagree with Orys, as he did have a point in regards to Valyria not coming back and how important it was to adapt. She knew that Orys would have gotten through to Jaenyx had he not mention his dead family, which included the good-father, the good-mother, and good-brother she would never meet until the afterlife. The only reason why he didn't react badly to her talking about his dead family was because he allowed himself to be vulnerable to her and she returned the favor. They knew things about each other that not even her siblings knew about. Unfortunately, Orys didn't have that relationship with Jaenyx and bringing up his family in the heat of the moment could only end one way for him.

Visenya hated having to choose between her brother and her husband, although she would remain at Jaenyx's side unconditionally as a good wife should. She might not have had a good opinion on the ways of Westeros because of how the lordlings in the past treated her, but she wasn't going to let her low opinions affect her relationship with her family.

Visenya pushed those thoughts aside, as there will be a time when she, Aegon, and Rhaenys will make Orys and Jaenyx come to terms with their differences in an amicable manner. Right now, she and Jaenyx awaited the arrival for the one that would bring an end to the war: Argella Durrandon.

Aegon and Orys were prepared to besiege Storm's End, but their father had just arrived from their citadel on the mouth of the Blackwater Rush to Bronzegate and had them instead call for a parley with the last member of House Durrandon. Her siblings and Jaenyx all questioned his decision, as they all were aware of her meeting with Visenya and thought that she would be stubborn enough to refuse parley. However, their father stated that with Argilac dead along with a good portion of his army, her position was now insecure and she at least proved that she was smarter than her father from her last meeting with Visenya. When there was still skepticism from her siblings, their father than had Aegon and Orys go to Storm's End with the swords and Drowned God amulets of the ironborn burned at Harrenhal along with the driftwood crown of Black Harren. By showing the possessions of their burned enemies, their father reasoned that Argella's situation would be more impressed upon her and that she would come to Bronzegate. In addition, their father ordered Argilac's body to be cleaned and preserved and his greatsword to placed on his corpse out of respect.

A few days ago, Aegon and Orys sent a message to them, saying that Argella Durrandon had agreed to a parley and that they were escorting her and a few of her sworn swords to Bronzegate. _Not so like her father after all,_ Visenya thought.

"Banners, over there!" called out a watchman on the wall, one of the Buckler men that had switched sides to the dragons. Visenya and Jaenyx looked closer in the distance before seeing a sizable entourage approaching the gates. Besides recognizing Aegon and Orys alongside a cavalry escort bearing the Targaryen banner, they also saw the stag sigils of House Durrandon among them. As Aegon and Orys got closer to the gates, Visenya could see Argella Durrandon more clearly, but her hard gaze softened upon seeing her.

Argella Durrandon still had the piercing blue eyes, flowing black hair, and dresses that hugged her every curve and made her look almost as graceful as Rhaenys. However, Visenya could see a hint of black circles around her eyes and a solemness emanating from her face. She also saw that she wore a golden crown of antlers on her head, but the weight crown must have been heavy for even a strong woman like her since Visenya could tell that the past two weeks after Argilac's death had not been kind to her. Even though she held her head high and kept a blank expression, Visenya could see right through her facade and saw that she was barely keeping it together. Her inheriting the throne of the Storm kingdom and the death of her father no matter how glorious others must've made it for her… _I don't envy her position_, Visenya thought while feeling some sympathy for the Storm princess, or queen.

Aegon and Orys dismounted their horses while Argella was helped down by her sworn sword, who Visenya recognized as Ser Bruze of House Tarth from his blue sash. She saw Jaenyx giving Aegon a strong hug while giving a neutral look to Orys. At least he was smart enough to not let his feelings be known to their adversaries, which was what the Durrandons and the dragons still were. Together, she and Jaenyx turned to Argella.

"Very good to see you again, Princess Argella," Visenya gave her a courteous smile. "Welcome to Bronzegate."

"You are speaking to Argella Durrandon, Queen of the Storm Kingdom and Lady of Storm's End by right, Lady Visenya," Ser Bruze stepped in. "Address her as 'Your Grace.'"

_Here we go again, _Visenya silently groaned. "Apologies, Ser Bruze. But as I said to you before, my family is not sworn to Storm's End, so we are under no obligations to address her as such."

Ser Bruze looked ready to bark back at Visenya's supposed insolence, but Argella simply stared at the master-at-arms of Storm's End and shook her head. She then looked at Visenya.

"Please forgive Ser Bruze, Lady Visenya. You remember how loyal he is to my family and the last few weeks have made him more committed to safeguarding the Durrandon name than ever. I hope you'll excuse him for trying to order you to do something that you are not required to do," Argella explained.

From the tone of her voice, Visenya could see more definitively that she was struggling on the inside despite trying to look the part of the royal as best as she could. It was a tone that her siblings would not be able to detect, as it was a tone only spoken by women who were independent and assertive but found both to be met with strong disapproval from men in power who preferred women to be the exact opposite. She had learned to speak in such a manner since she had to hide how much she was struggling from her family because they wouldn't understand what it was like to have lordlings make her feel isolated because she was not what they expected her to be. She could care less about what they felt and especially so since she had a husband who would never disrespect her in a million years, but that didn't mean that it wasn't hard for her to cope.

"It is of no consequence, Queen Argella," Visenya smiled while deciding to afford her the respect that came with her rightful title. Argella's hard gaze slightly softened at her gesture. "It is not wise to let lapses in decorum affect matters of importance, especially those in regards to a peaceful resolution to our conflict, wouldn't you agree?"

"I wholeheartedly agree, Lady Visenya," Argella let out a small smile.

"You must be tired from your journey, along with your sworn swords. If you will all follow us into the castle so that you may receive food and wine," Lady Visenya gestured to Bronzegate.

After settling their horses in Bronzegate's stables, they were led into the castle's great hall, where they were given bread and salt at their father's behest to make Argella and her sworn swords feel more at ease. After having Bronzegate's cooks provide meals for the Durrandon sworn swords, their father, Visenya, Jaenyx, Aegon, and Orys let Argella Durrandon and Ser Bruze to Lord Buckler's solar, which was occupied by Rhaenys at the moment. Their father took the lord's chair while Aegon, Rhaenys, and Orys sat on his right side and Jaenyx and Visenya on his left. Argella and Ser Bruze sat opposite of them. Their father had the servants bring two large pitchers, one filled with Arbor gold and other filled with Lys white wine, along with seven goblets.

However, Visenya noticed that Orys was looking away from Argella, not bearing to look upon the woman whose father he killed with his own hands. She looked at Rhaenys, who got the clue and had Orys look straight. She understood what Orys felt, but she wasn't going to let her brother feel or look less than he was during their talk with Argella Durrandon.

"Thank you for coming to see us, Princess Argella," their father began while pouring Arbor gold into his goblet before passing it on to this children and good-son. "I understand that the journey here must not have been an easy one."

"Quite, Lord Targaryen," Argella simply replied while ignoring him not addressing her as a queen. Ser Bruze again was about to protest, but Argella looked at him and told him not to bother.

"I'm sorry. Where are my manners? I took the liberty to have Lord Buckler break a casket of both Arbor gold and Lys white wine, both of which I understand you enjoy the most out of the other types of wine in the world. Would you like some?" their father picked up the pitcher filled with Lys white.

"You honor me, my lord, to serve me with your own hand," Argella courteously answered. "But I must decline your offer for now. I have come to discuss matters of importance and wine is only consumed upon both sides reaching a satisfactory agreement."

Their father nodded, impressed that she knew how such discussions went and how frank she was. "Very good, Princess Argella. But first, on behalf of Houses Targaryen and Belaerys, I extend to you our condolences on the death of King Argilac. He was a great warrior and king and he shall be remembered for all time."

Visenya could sense some sincerity in their father's words. Although all of Westeros knew of Argilac's arrogance, he was courteous enough to not refer to that in front of Argilac's daughter and showed kindness at how positively he talked about the deceased Storm king. She also looked to Jaenyx, who nodded his seconding of their father's words.

Argella nodded. "Thank you, my lord, for your kind words. Although, you must understand that I am skeptical of your sincerity since it was your house and your ally, House Belaerys, that were responsible for how my father met his end. The lords and smallfolk of the kingdom would not take too kindly after you killed their king."

"Hmmm," their father simply replied. "You're right. But let us not go forward in our discussions with the belief that my family and our ally Lord Jaenyx Belaerys were the aggressors. Just like Black Harren bears the responsibility of starting the war against us, your father is also responsible through his usage of spies against our home. More importantly, you yourself admitted that you knew of the circumstances of the death of Garaeron Rahitheon, one of my good-son's vassals, and you did nothing to explain your father's actions."

Argella sighed. "It was regrettable, how that Valyrian died. But my father offered your house an alliance to fight Black Harren when Darvin Hoare assaulted another of your good-son's vassals. You refused, Lord Targaryen."

"For good reasons," their father answered. "My son that you see here, Aegon, was already married to Rhaenys, who you also see at this table. It would've been improper for him to take on another, as that would jeopardize relations my son would have with my daughter Lady Rhaenys. But more seriously, your father merely used the circumstances surrounding Vaeron Rahitheon's kidnapping as a pretext to push that alliance on us. So, any alliance between our houses from that time would've been impossible."

Argella blinked. "I will admit, my father was… ill-advised when he decided to send men to kidnap your good-son's vassal and to have spies operate around your home. No one can deny that controlling the only remaining center of Valyrian steel forging would be both profitable and useful in buttressing the position of any aspiring lord or king. But, he apparently didn't fully consider the consequences and here we are now."

"Indeed," their father bobbed his head. "King Argilac has died and much of forces sworn to your house are either dead or are now our prisoners. The reason I invited you here is to discuss terms of peace, since enough blood has been spilled on both sides. We are prepared to return to the sword and to dragonfire, but the outcomes of such choices are what we wish to avoid. I am sure that you feel the same way."

"What I don't feel the same way as you do?" Visenya had to respect her steadfastness, but Argella should know when such traits were useful.

"Then, you are free to leave this castle and return to Storm's End. But understand that we gave you the opportunity to spare more blood from being spilled and we will not show you mercy should we resume hostilities."

Argella pondered the discussion. Visenya remembered that she was very much her father's daughter, haughty to the point where she was likely to ignore good sense in the face of unfavorable circumstances. But unlike her father, she displayed intelligence from the last time they talked and was more collected than her father was. "All right, Lord Targaryen," she finally said. "Let us discuss terms of peace. What are yours?"

Their father took a sip from his goblet. "First, House Durrandon will pay recompense for the sufferings inflicted on those sworn to House Belaerys, as it was my good-son's vassal you killed. The price of the Valyrian steel swords your men stole in total amounts to 100 sacks of gold. House Durrandon will pay four times that number to House Belaerys and the same amount to House Targaryen as compensation for expenses incurred during our campaigning. In addition, you will give two hundred sacks of gold as part of a joint effort to reconstruct the damage from this war."

Argella raised her eyebrows. "A thousand sacks of gold? You ask a steep prince, Lord Aerion. That amount is four years worth of Storm's End's taxes and revenues and I cannot provide such a sum without incurring severe financial difficulties upon my kingdom and people."

"I understand that it is a considerable sum. I won't change the amount that must be paid, but I will allow the sum to be made payable over the course of ten years so as to prevent as much difficulty on your part as possible. But the two hundred sacks must be provided immediately, as there is much to reconstructed."

Visenya saw Argella slightly sulk at their father's first term, which could only mean that he reactions will get progressively worse with the ones that came after. "And your second term?" Argella asked.

"You officially cede control of the northern reaches of the Wendwater along with its forests to our direct control. The forests in your northern reaches would be a good buffer for both of us. But allow me to disprove any notions of us taking key lands from you, as the boundaries of our control will not go past Haystack Hall, which will be the new boundary between our territories of control."

Argella scoffed. "First, you ask me to pay an amount that will financially cripple me. Then, you're asking me to surrender lands that by right belong to my house. Do you seek the ruin of House Durrandon?"

"Let me clarify things for you, Princess Argella," their father leaned forward on the table. "I will not budge on the terms given to you so far. But in regards to your indemnity, I allowed very generous terms in how you can repay it. In addition, the lands comprising the northern parts of the Wendwater serve no important purpose to you other than allowing you to threaten our position in the Blackwater Bay. It's only natural that we seek to strengthen our position on the continent against all potential adversaries."

Visenya saw Argella sigh before getting her head back up. "And I'm guessing your third term will be the last, Lord Targaryen?"

"You are correct, Princess Argella," their father nodded. "You must join our house in marriage."

"What?" Visenya saw that Argella did not expect that.

"The foundations of a permanent peace between our houses can only be solved if joined in matrimony. Your father proposed an alliance between us through marriage and here, I'm merely reiterating his terms. Once we become tied, we will not have to worry about conflicts between our houses or our sworn lords for at least the duration of such a union. You will also provide a dowry, as offered by your father."

Argella leaned back in her chair, surprise that their father would make such a suggestion. Instinctively, she glanced at Aegon and then at Jaenyx. Remembering Argella being besotted with Valyrian beauty and how she described both Aegon and Jaenyx as "quite the stunners," Visenya felt her fist curl up underneath the table while barely controlling her ire at the thought of Argella Durrandon even touching her husband. She looked to Rhaenys and saw that she was also barely keeping it together after hearing about Argella's words from Rhaenys and from how she glanced at Aegon. _Tread carefully, princess_.

"And who do you suggest be the agent for such a union between our houses, Lord Targaryen?"

"My son," Lord Targaryen paused for a short moment. "Orys Baratheon."

Visenya saw Orys look at their father, eyes widened in shock. She could sense what he was feeling. Marrying the daughter of the man he killed was unthinkable and such an instance would preclude any chance of a loving and strong marriage. It had been done before, but she knew that her brother had enough sense to understand how such a union would be near impossible to transform into a loving one in its beginning stages.

But Visenya saw that Argella was… chuckling in her seat, which turned into laughter. She knew that the princess thought the whole situation funny, but she became more annoyed at how her laughs reflected her thoughts on marrying Orys. _Understandable, but he's still my family and I will never let anyone put them down_.

Argella eventually calmed down as her laughs slowly disappeared. "Oh, surely you jest, Lord Aerion. Not only do you want me to marry your bastard, but you want to marry the man that killed my father? I think you've lost your mind, my lord, if you had any to begin with."

Before Visenya could respond, she felt Aegon pound his fists on the table and stood up from his seat, which prompted Ser Bruze to reach for his sword's hilt. "How dare you speak to my father that way! You might be the daughter of a king, but have you forgotten how to address a lord with respect? You will apologize for that insult, princess," Aegon addressed with disdain at that last one. It took Rhaenys to calm him down and put him back in his seat, but she shot daggers at Argella.

"Now, I understand your sentiments, Princess Argella. Lords and kings in Westeros would never allow their children to marry bastards because of the circumstances of their birth. They don't have anything to their name and they don't seem to be anything other than less than ordinary individuals. But I love my son as I love his brother and sisters. So, you'll do yourself no favors here by insulting my family."

Argella cocked her head straightening back and exhaling. "I retract my statement on you losing your mind, my lord."

"Thank you, Princess," their father nodded. "But, those are my terms for peace. An indemnity, lands, and you marrying my son. All three are non-negotiable, especially the last one, and should you agree with union, you will provide a dowry."

Visenya looked at their their father in confusion. Given the large payment imposed on House Durrandon and the lands that will be ceded to them, she was confused as to what more could she give.

"What sort of dowry, if I do agree with your marriage proposal?" Argella crossed her arms.

"In addition to the customary dowry, you will give my son the lordship of Storm's End and transfer the loyalties of your lords to him. Once that has been done, I shall grant him the lord paramountcy of the stormlands. He will therefore set up another house to rule over the stormlords, but with you as his Lady of Storm's End and Lady Paramount."

Argella scoffed. "If you really think that I will just surrender my rightful crown to you and allow your family to take what had belonged in my family for thousands of years, you really don't understand just who you're dealing with. Plus, the stormlords will never allow an outsider to rule over them out of strong loyalty to House Durrandon and you'll face an uprising soon, Lord Targaryen."

Their father shrugged. "You're correct, Princess Argella, but to an extent. I think you give the stormlords too much credit in regards to how loyal they will be to you."

Argella narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean by that?"

"You father was no doubt one of the great warrior rulers this continent has ever seen. Everyone knows of his exploits at Volantis, Summerfield, and against the Dornish when he was just a boy. He proved himself on the field of battle several times and showed he was willing to enter the mud with his soldiers, earning him the admiration and respect of the lords and troops under his command."

"With respect, Lord Targaryen, I know very well the accomplishments of my father. Can we get to your point?"

Visenya wanted to scold her for such rudeness. However, their father beat her to it.

"I'm about to," their father gave her a small smile. "Your father accomplished much in his illustrious life. But what have you done, Princess Argella?"

Argella blinked. "What?"

"You are the heir to the crown of Storm kingdom by right and blood and personally, I don't care about a woman ruling. But will the stormlords accept you as their ruler, especially when you haven't done anything of repute to earn their loyalty? And Westeros is rarely kind to female rulers."

Argella clenched her teeth. "Is that a threat, Lord Targaryen?"

Their father shook their head. "I merely state the facts, Princess. And I would recall history if I were you, Princess Argella. Any person worth their salt would be aware of legendary women such as Florys the Fox, Rose of Red Lake, Rowan Gold-Tree, and Agnes Blackwood. But such women were forgotten to history or were undermined by the actions of small-minded men. That is the unfortunate reality of this continent. You haven't done anything to earn the loyalty of your father's sworn lords and given that your house has no male heirs, your position is incredibly precarious. You are young and you have no accomplishments to your name, so it wouldn't be long before an ambitious lord starts getting ideas on how to undermine your position."

"How are you so sure of this, my lord?"

"Certainty comes with experience and age, Princess Argella. How I was able to ensure my house's survival while surrounded by the vultures in the Blackwater Bay took trial and error, but I learned. And one valuable lesson that remained with me is that any hint of weakness will immediately be taken advantage by those with ambition. And I can guarantee to you that with your father dead, your position will become more untenable than it is."

"And your proposal for me to marry your… natural son while giving him Storm's End and agreeing to your terms would prevent such an eventuality from befalling me?"

Their father snorted. "Don't be confused. I don't care what you choice you make, but I give you my word that if you join our family in marriage, we shall give extend to you our protection from those that would wish you harm. And should you do so, you'll remain Lady of Storm's End and you can rule over the stormlords along with my son. With him and our house alongside you, no one will dare attempt to move against you."

Argella took a moment to process his offer. Visenya could understand that from perspective, their father's terms for peace were quite steep. By giving Storm's End to Orys and having him establish his own house, Argella would be surrendering her crown and her house's ruling over the stormlands. At the same time, it was generous considering that Argilac Durrandon was responsible for starting the war in the first place.

"I take it that I have to swear fealty first before I accept these terms, Lord Targaryen?"

Their father shrugged. "It's a small price to pay for peace, Princess."

Argella nodded before rising up, with their father, Visenya, Jaenyx, Aegon, Rhaenys, and Orys following suit. Orys avoided his gaze on Argella, which annoyed Visenya a bit since that was very uncharacteristic of him to stare away from a beautiful woman.

"I think we're done here, Lord Targaryen. You displayed good sense and intelligence at this moment, but no one of royal standing has ever kneeled to a simple lord. It shall not happen, and it never will. Ser Bruze," Argella gestured to her master-at-arms as she made her way to the door.

"I would strongly suggest you consider my offer, Princess Argella," their father called out to her while stopping her in her tracks. "You are free to leave Bronzegate at any moment and you are safe on these grounds as we have extended guest rights to you and your men. But understand that the moment you return to Storm's End, hostilities will resume and we will show no mercy as we have shown Black Harren because we gave you the opportunity to negotiate an end to our war. I cannot guarantee that Storm's End will protect you from dragonfire and many have already died from fighting, your father among them. I prefer that we come to a peaceful resolution."

Argella stood there for a moment, not turning around. "Before I go, I must ask after my father's body."

"No need to, Princess," their father replied. "I have arranged for his body to be cleaned and readied for burial and I shall return to you his sword. Consider it an act of goodwill."

"Thank you, my lord," Argella nodded without looking back, but Visenya could hear a slight crack in her voice before she saw Argella go through the door. After she left, the tension left the solar as everyone relaxed. All except Orys, who was still processing what their father offered the Durrandon princess.

"What are you thinking, son?" their father looked at Orys.

"Why did you do that, father?" Orys asked, shock still in him.

"Are you referring to offering you in marriage to Argella?" Orys didn't respond, but he didn't need to. "Aegon is already taken, and Jaenyx is not under us. As you've killed the Arrogant king, by right of conquest, you should be the new Lord of Storm's End and the ruler over the stormlords. You should know that Westeros assents to rulers who took their claim on the field of battle and you've done exactly that, Orys. It should go to you."

Orys cocked his head while raising an eyebrow. "I know there's more behind your offer, father. You might be well-versed in how Westeros is run, but that is separate from how you treat your own children."

Their father sighed before nodding. "You would be correct, son. I figured that it was a time you found a woman." Save for Orys, everyone in the room looked at their father. "You are nine and twenty, and the only women that you've been with were the whores on Dragonstone and whatever maids you could get your hands on from Driftmark and Claw Isle. I don't care what others say about you," their father glanced at Jaenyx, who had heard about their argument and was not too pleased with how his good-son described Orys. "You are my son, and I will not allow one of my blood to have relations with those beneath our stations. But more than that, I became a better man because of my wife. She ended my whoring days and she put my vices in check. Whatever success I may have had as a lord and father was because of her."

Visenya knew that while their father was not as open in his love and affection for their mother as Aegon was to Rhaenys and her to Jaenyx, they loved each other nonetheless. Lesser-minded lords would have scolded their ladies for slapping them on the upside of their heads or cursing at them whenever they fell out of line, but their father proved to be the better one and allowed her to run Dragonstone and other affairs alongside him. Thankfully, Aegon was just like their father in those regards and so was Jaenyx.

Their father came to Orys and clasped his shoulder. "If what Visenya said about Argella Durrandon was true, she would have enough sense to accept our offer. Besides that, she is young, beautiful, intelligent, and has inherited the strength that her father was known for. You'll be in good hands once you're married to her."

"I'm still not sure, father," Orys said. "Will she really be a loving wife to me, considering that I killed her father? Also, she is nine and ten and I fear that our age gap will cause difficulties."

Their father waved it off. "There have been far larger age gaps in unions between lords and royals before, and a difference in ten years is not terribly serious. If she displayed that much intelligence and strong will right now, imagine how much smarter and stronger she will be further down the road. She'll be a good woman for you, son. In regards to you killing Argilac, Argella Durrandon should understand that it was war and that deaths cannot be avoided. I am sorry that I cannot help you in that area, son, because no one in this room has been in your position. But I will suggest that you display understanding to your wife, because you are right to be worried. I would ask about what I would do if I were in Argella Durrandon's boots and make every effort to talk to her. That is probably a key reason why many unions have internal damage, because the man or woman cease talking about their concerns with one another."

"You talk as if she already accepted your peace offer, father," Orys replied. "Aren't we thinking too far now?"

Their father smiled. "It may take some time, but she is smart, unlike her father. And right now, she doesn't have any other good options for her. But like her, you shouldn't be so worried. It will all turn out for the best."

* * *

Visenya walked with Jaenyx towards the guest chambers of Bronzegate. She didn't share her father's confidence in Argella Durrandon accepting their peace offer, as she was like herself in that they wouldn't budge easily even in unfavorable circumstances. While Argella was technically still an enemy of House Targaryen and House Belaerys, it was a rare thing to see a woman in Westeros propped up on her strength and wits and it would be a shame if such a person made a decision out of poor judgment. But beyond that, she wanted to have words with Argella since seeing a woman in a position of considerable influence was a rarity outside Dorne and this was a good opportunity for Visenya to properly size up her potential good-sister, if it came to that.

As for Jaenyx, he offered to go with her so that he could properly look upon the daughter of the man that had killed Aevor Rahitheon's nephew. Wanting him to be at her side at all times, Visenya let him come along.

They found her chambers guarded by Ser Bruze Tarth, who noticed them as they neared the door. "Lady Visenya, Lord Belaerys. What brings you here?"

"I wish to have some words with the Storm Queen," Visenya replied while giving her the respect she deserved. Ser Bruze softened at her gesture.

"I'm sorry, Lady Visenya, but Her Grace is resting at the moment and therefore cannot be disturbed."

"I see," Visenya nodded. "Well, can you say that I and my husband Lord Jaenyx wished to have words with her?"

"I will, my lady," Ser Bruze replied. But before they left, the door behind Ser Bruze opened, revealing Argella Durrandon. Visenya could see a hint of dried tears on her face, but decided not to ask why she was crying.

"Lady Visenya, Lord Belaerys," Argella addressed them.

"Queen Argella," Visenya addressed her. Argella let a tiny smile grow at how she honored her.

"Did you come here on behalf of your father or of your own volition?"

"I just wanted to have some words with you, Queen Argella," Visenya replied.

"Will Lord Belaerys be joining you?"

Visenya grasped Jaenyx's arm tightly. "He's my husband. Where I go, he goes."

Argella looked at them up and down before nodding. "Come in," she opened the door wider and allowed them entry.

Visenya and Jaenyx sat the small table in her chambers opposite of Argella. "I must thank your father for treating my father with such dignity, Lady Visenya."

"He was a king. He deserved that much," Visenya replied. Even she had to be impressed with how potent Argilac was even in his old age.

"Like last time, I would appreciate it if we did away with all of the pleasantries. Would that alright with you, Lady Visenya?"

Visenya offered her a small smile. "Very."

"If you've come here to intercede on behalf of your brother, know that my mind is not easily swayed on such matters. And your father did offer terms that anyone with sense would be hard-pressed to accept."

"Of course. But considering how this war is progressing, it could be much, much worse. And everything my father said is rooted in the truth."

Argella shook her head, but not out of rejection for Visenya's words. "And now you're telling me that my only good option to ensure peace is to marry the man that killed my father?"

Visenya sighed, out of sympathy for her situation. "I wish it was under better circumstances, but I believe we share a desire to end the fighting between us. Nothing more can be gained other than more bloodshed and more ashes from the flames of our dragons."

"Spare me further explanation of your dragons, Lady Visenya. I've seen yours and I believe what I heard from Lord Swann and from those that had fought outside the walls of this very castle. However, your father is asking me to undo thousands of years of Durrandon rule at Storm's End and throughout the lands my house had held onto. I have the blood of Durran Godsgrief running in veins, who defied the gods themselves despite every storm. If I just surrender now, I will go against everything my house stood for and I will bring further disgrace onto my ancestors."

Visenya cocked her head. "You're concerned about disgracing your ancestors and I can understand that. But like the last time we talked, I'm more interested in what you think. And I know you have thoughts that are independent of your family legacy, your house, and the others."

"You don't understand, Lady Visenya. That's who I am," Argella raised her voice. "I have struggled against the ambitions of greedy men for much of my life. The only reason why I was able to ward them off was because I followed the example set by my father and of Durran Godsgrief. I never let anything keep me down and I'll be damned if I just give in easily."

"Oh, believe me, I do," Visenya answered. "My family and myself are the blood of the dragon and of old Valyria. You family words are "Ours is the Fury," while our words are "Fire and Blood." Dragons dominated over all and they still do, and they burned and spilled the blood of those that wished them harm while allowing new growth to occur. But I digress, as we can debate our families' origins all day. However, there is a line between staying true to our family origins and being stubborn. It is true that Durran Godsgrief stood against the gods, but did he stand against dragons at the time? And as my father stated and despite my personal feelings, you haven't done anything worthy of note to the stormlords. You haven't led troops in battle or done something extraordinary. And given the martial inclinations of the stormlords, you really think they'll follow you?"

Argella sighed. "To be honest, Lady Visenya, I don't know. But as I said, I can't just give up. And it'll bring me unbearable amounts of shame for me to share the bed of your brother, who killed my father."

Visenya nodded. "I understand. And if it means anything to you, he didn't want to kill him and he was forced to do so after your father made him."

Argella scoffed. "That may be so, but he still killed my father. That act can never be forgotten."

Visenya was honestly at a loss for words. She didn't know what else she could say to persuade Argella to accept their father's offer or make it more bearable for her. But she wasn't surprised, as she was just like her in many ways. Independent, strong-willed, and smart, she would never accept anything that ran contrary to who she was. Also, she could appreciate her steadfastness, as she was like that whenever their father attempted to arrange a marriage for her. _What do I do now?_

Then, Visenya heard Jaenyx speak up. "You hate it, don't you?"

Argella blinked. "What?"

"You hate the situation that you're in. Your father is gone, taken from the earth, and now you're alone, with only your family's words and legacy to keep you from falling into the abyss. You're clinging onto whatever you can because you don't know what else to keep you upright. It's not fair that your father was taken, the one source of strength that could rely on, and even more so because you weren't in a position to do anything about it."

"What would you know, Lord Belaerys?" Argella spat bitterly.

Jaenyx took a moment to gather his moments before exhaling. "I know, Princess Argella. I know what it is to lose a father, because I've seen my father die in front of me."

That got a look of surprise from Argella, but Visenya turned to him and was even more surprised. He never revealed such personal details to people he barely knew and she only knew because they were married. _What are you doing, Jae?_

"I was born in Sothoryos, specifically the Basilisk Isles. I watched my brother die because of pirates and my father from the Red Death." Argella's mouth slightly dropped, as she also had heard about the effects of that plague, while Visenya noticed that he didn't bring up his mother. _That's the line Jae won't cross for a stranger, not just yet_. "For the longest time, I cursed everyone why my father was taken. And I wanted to hurt anyone and anything just because of my grief, and I didn't care about the consequences. But fortunately, I had someone teach me things that were more useful than despair, because that is what stops us from growing and from seeing the necessity of moving forward."

Argella was silent, the shock from meeting a strong woman like herself and from Jaenyx revealing such intimate details about his past evident on her face.

"Personally, I don't care what choice you make," Jaenyx continued. "But I do know that clinging onto things that serve no purpose other than to feed your pride is a sure way of falling faster in the nothingness. And as my good-father said, if you return to Storm's End without making peace here, we will show no mercy. You willing to sacrifice your people just so that you can hang onto your crown and your pride, both of which your people wouldn't really fight for in any circumstances?"

Argella remained silent, but Visenya could see the doubt growing on her face. She might've been stubborn like her father, but she had sense, something which her father lacked.

"I am not going to say things about my brother in order to make you feel better such as his looks and battle prowess," Visenya asked. "But he does care about others and he had the decency to avoid eye contact with you because of what he did. That has to count for something."

"And what do you suggest that I do, Lady Visenya?"

"I'm saying to give Orys, and this peace offer, a chance. We can end this war right here and now and we can all go home. Just something to think about," and with that, Visenya got up, hands hold Jaenyx's, and left her chambers.

As they came into their chambers in the castle, Visenya turned around and hugged Jaenyx as he closed the door. "_That was brave of you, Jae, to reveal what happened to your father to Argella. I'm proud of you."_

Jaenyx sighed while he returned the hug. "_I don't know. I guess something inside me told me to say something to her because we both lost fathers. It's a rare thing, to have someone who's been in my situation._"

Visenya drew away from the hug before she put her arms over Jaenyx's neck. "_Well, I'm glad that others can see that you're not such a cold bastard_."

"_Careful_," Jaenyx playfully warned.

"_Or what?_" Visenya looked at him suggestively.

"_You really want to find out_?"

"_Try me_," Visenya said before pulling him into a kiss.

Their kiss became deeper as their tongues danced for dominance. Visenya felt Jaenyx's hands run over body before they found themselves on her ass. Gasping as they gave them a tight squeeze, Visenya bit on Jaenyx's lip, causing him to grunt in pain. Pulling away from each other as they caught their breath, Visenya undid her braid while she saw Jaenyx take off his tunic to expose his bare torso to her. She turned around and offered her back to Jaenyx, who wasted no time in undoing the laces of her dragon coat and pulling it down to make her bare before her.

Visenya jumped into his arms and kissed him while Jaenyx moved to their bed. Pinning him on the mattress, Visenya kissed his neck before running more kisses on his torso towards his breeches. She undid them and pulled them off of him before she ran her tongue on his cock and sucked on it. There were no words exchanged, as they succumbed to their desires for each other's body. She heard Jaenyx's breath hitch as she took his cock deeper into her mouth.

"_Shatter into me, Jae. I want your release_," Visenya urged. Jaenyx erupted into her mouth as he squeezed his eyes, the pleasure becoming too much for him.

Not done with him yet, Visenya climbed onto him. Straddling his waist with her legs, she made sure he kept his violet eyes on her as she grabbed his hands and guided them to her breasts. Gasping in happiness as he squeezed them, she sheathed his length into her entrance and began grinding him.

Loud moans and the slaps on skin reverberated through the chambers as Visenya rode Jaenyx. Her fingers danced on his chest while Jaenyx struggled to keep his hands on hers. Jaenyx thrusted upward, feeling himself close to the edge and wanting to take her with him.

"_Scream for me, Vis. I want to hear your roar_," Jaenyx hit upward into Visenya harder.

"JAE!" Visenya let out as she couldn't hold herself back any longer. No doubt the entire castle could hear her, but that wasn't her concern as the climax pounded within her and her walls tightening around Jaenxy's cock. She felt him erupt within her, triggering more waves of pleasure to flow through them. Finally, her limp form collapsed onto his chest. Humming in satisfaction, she snuggled into his chest as her silver hair fanned over his lean muscles. She kissed his forehead as she smiled lazily and felt his arms wrapped tightly around her. A few minutes passed before Visenya was able to speak to him.

Staring into each other's eyes, Jaenyx cupped her cheek and ran his thumb along her smooth skin. Visenya pulled into another kiss, no words needed to convey how they felt for each other.

"_I hope that you show people other than us how you're not so heartless,_" Visenya said. "_That way, they can really see the man I fell in love with_."

Jaenyx smiled. "_One step at a time, Vis. One step_."

Visenya brought him tightly against her chest. "_If you want, I can… motivate you to be a little more open to others._"

"_And how do you intend to do that_?"

"_Want to go again_?" Visenya whispered in his ear.

Jaenyx put her on her back while staring into her eyes. "_Don't mind if I do,_" he replied as she felt his cock harden and lunged forth into their shared bliss.

**I was debating on whether to have Argella go through the treatment she went though in canon. But I decided not to do that. The reason why is for a couple of reasons. She's smarter than her father and she would understand the situation more after seeing the burned swords and Drowned God amulets collected from the ruins of Harrenhal. Also, I want to make it easier for Argella to marry Orys, since I highly doubt her canon fate would be a smooth start for a strong marriage between the two. But in this story, it will be strong and loving, and both will play important roles in the next stage of the conquest. **

**I also wanted to show how similar Visenya was to Argella, which prompted that whole discussion and how Visenya was stumped. Then, we see Jaenyx display empathy to Argella over their shared experiences of losing fathers. Both of them will make Argella coming into the family much easier and Orys can finally have someone who could end his philandering ways and make him better. **

**Next, we'll introduce another key character in the story. Merry Christmas and Happy New Years to you all! :)**


	24. Loren Lannister I

**I hope you all had a very good Christmas, Hanukkah, and the others and that the New Years will be awesome. **

**And now, for something completely different. **

LOREN LANNISTER I

Loren Lannister tapped his fingers on the table as he sat quietly in the great hall of House Redwyne. He looked around the hall and saw his entourage interacting with those from the Arbor and throughout the Reach and those from the Vale. As expected, no one talked with the representatives from the Iron Islands, who looked indifferent to being among "greenlander lords" anyway. For Loren Lannister, he had no interest in engaging in small talk and wanted to go straight to the reason why him and some other lords from the western hills and valleys of Westeros had come to this island in the first place. Not that he complained, as he liked the Redwynes' hospitality and always kept a casket of Arbor gold in his solar even though he preferred Lannisport's spicy honey wine.

A month ago, Casterly Rock received a raven from Highgarden, with the message written by the King of the Reach himself, Mern Gardener. King Mern invited Loren Lannister, King of the Rock, to a summit at the Arbor to discuss "matters of kingly importance," which was incredibly cryptic. Loren Lannister found out that Mern Gardener sent out other ravens to the Eyrie, Winterfell, Sunspear, and the Iron Islands. King in the North Torrhen Stark declined the invitation, saying that no Starks would ever concern themselves in the affairs of the south. Meria Martell, Princess of Dorne and otherwise known as the "Yellow Toad," also declined, stating that Dorne and the Rhoynar are separate from the rest of Westeros. Not that many in the Reach complained, as marcher houses such as the Tarlys of Horn Hill and the Peakes of Starpike would not respond kindly to having to share the same space with the very people they fought with for many centuries.

Loren Lannister was most surprised when he heard about the Gardener king inviting the ironborn to the summit, with the entourage led by Darvin Hoare, otherwise known to the rest of Westeros as "the Unshackled Ironman" and who had declared himself King of the Isles and the Rivers. No one in Westeros wanted to be in the same room as an ironborn and the Redwynes were very open in their displeasure at having to host their traditional enemies at sea. From what Loren Lannister gathered, King Mern had to pull many strings and grant them certain favors in order for the Redwynes to at least not kill the ironborn once they arrived at the Arbor. He frankly didn't care about what King Mern did.

Deciding that there was no harm in hearing what the Gardener king had to say and wanting to see the Arbor anyway, Loren Lannister left his son Seamas in charge of Casterly Rock and took a party of his lords, who hailed from houses such as Crakehall, Lefford, Westerling, Marbrand, and Reyne, along with three hundred men-at-arms. He was hesitant to bring along Weslar Reyne, Lord of Castamere, as he headed the second-most powerful house in his kingdom and had heard from his more loyal lords of his unpredictable personality. However, he decided that it was better to keep potential rivals close to him and took him with him to the Arbor. He had also appointed his second son, Ser Bailen Reyne, as castellan of Casterly Rock as a way to keep his house under control while not giving Lord Weslar any reason to think that he has been mistreated. _Politics, how tiresome_, Loren thought.

After arriving at the Arbor, Loren Lannister and his entourage were given guest rights via bread and salt and were treated to the famed hospitality of House Redwyne, which Loren Lannister only experienced once. Besides the dancing, music, and the sumptuous feast provided, everyone present were allowed to consume as much of the Arbor's famous wines to their heart's content. Loren Lannister himself helped him to three caskets of Arbor gold, but was careful to control his drink so as to avoid any embarrassing moments of drunkenness in front of his vassals.

In addition, Loren Lannister toured the Redwyne fleet around the Arbor, which was quite an impressive sight. At two hundred warships and five times that of other vessels, the fleet easily dwarfed the other fleets of Westeros, even that of the ironborn. Casterly Rock never commanded more than fifty vessels, as the lords in the west were not known for their prowess at sea. _I might have to fix that, or I might be the Rock's equivalent of Brandon the Burner_.

Besides Darvin Hoare and the ironborn that had arrived at the Arbor, Sharra Arryn, Queen Regent of the Kingdom of the Mountain and the Vale and otherwise as "the Flower of the Mountain," came with an entourage of her own lords from houses such as Royce, Corbray, and Hunter. Many of those in attendance had wondered why Ronnel Arryn, the King of the Mountain and the Vale, had not arrived only to remember that he was merely a boy. While those in the Reach and among his lords shifted uncomfortably at having to converse on equal terms with a woman, especially after hearing of her reputation back in the Vale, Loren Lannister couldn't care less. _Sharra Arryn being a woman in power is the least of my concerns at the moment_.

Loren Lannister took another look at the hall before noticing the Faith's seven-pointed star hanging prominently from the ceiling. Blinking, he looked at the various lords that had arrived at the Arbor and saw a connection. Besides the ironborn, everyone present were devoted or were connected in some ways to the Faith of the Seven. And given the Gardeners' piety to the Faith… _This is getting interesting_.

While Loren Lannister didn't care for such trivialities, he made his regular visits to the sept in order to give off the illusion that he was devoted in front of his vassals and people. But like many other kings and lords of Westeros, Loren Lannister was not pious and merely interpreted his relationship with the Faith as a mutual one. In return for a substantial contribution to the septs and doing small favors for the septons, the Faith's representatives helped his populace under control and turned a blind eye to Loren Lannister's more… questionable pursuits. Like any other ruler, he had vices, with his participating in gambling being one of them. Loren Lannister found the whole practice of gambling stimulating for his mind, as he could practice his abilities in reading a man's facial expressions and knowing when a man would fold. He learned that how a man gambled reflected his personality and how he walked through life.

But more importantly, Loren Lannister that he must've inherited from his ancestor's, Tyrion II Lannister, penchant for torture. Whenever prisoners or criminals came into Casterly Rock, he would just… watch his guards as they questioned and tortured their way into the victim's mind. He would often go into Casterly Rock's cells with much parchment and quill, so that he can record what parts of the body caused the most pain and which methods were used to inflict maximum damage with the most efficiency. He himself participated in a few of these interrogation sessions, with one of these times seeing him piercing a man with meat hooks and hanging him by his skin just to see how long he would last before he slipped into unconsciousness. Another time, he played the knife game with a robber because he wanted to see how long it would take before the man begged him to stop.

Despite his unusual curiosity in how pain was inflicted, Loren Lannister was unlike his ancestor in that he never let this curiosity go beyond acceptable limits. Such was the case for Tyrion II Lannister, as he died a wretch and no one shed a tear for his departure from the earth. But, such knowledge was key in how he was able to keep his various lords in check, as they also were aware of his knowledge and never dared to step over the boundary.

Returning to the present, Loren Lannister found that the hall had quieted as Mern IX Gardener entered, who was dressed in robes of green and white while wearing his crown of vines and flowers. Tall and lean, Mern Gardener had well-kept brown hair, blue eyes, and a clean-shaven face. Despite his age being forty, he had still retained the youthful beauty that his house was known for, but Loren knew that Mern remaining physically active even at that age also contributed to his sound health. Squired at Horn's Hill under Lord Tarly and knighted at six and ten, Mern Gardener lived for tourneys and the knightly life. Even after ascending to the throne at Highgarden, he retained his skills in swordplay, jousting, and archery. However, Loren saw that Mern Gardener enjoyed being a knight too much and must've confused skill as a knight with skill as a ruler. From his constant smiles and laughter, he was too relaxed and too vivacious, as if expecting everyone to be familiar with knightly ways. _This will be a problem_.

As for Sharra Arryn, she had flowing black hair, bright brown eyes, and somewhat swarthy skin while wearing an elegant blue gown. She hailed from the Dornish Marches in the Reach before she fostered in the Vale, where she caught the eye of the Arryn king and became his queen before birthing him two heirs. Despite her age, she had earned the title of "the Flower of the Mountain" as she was still thin, graceful, and charming. What was curious about her was that she was wearing the Falcon crown of House Arryn, which should have been kept in the Eyrie. _Interesting…_

For Darvin Hoare, he looked just like every other ironborn he'd seen besides that crazed look in his eye. _I'll just bear with it. _

After dismissing the other lords from the hall, as the following discussion was meant only for the kings and queen, Mern Gardener took a seat at the front table, with Darvin Hoare and Sharra Arryn taking the side tables and Loren Lannister opposite him.

"Your Graces, thank you for coming all this way to the Arbor, especially to you, Queen Sharra. I can only imagine what a journey you've must have been from the Eyrie to here and it brings warmth to my heart to see that the years have been kind to a daughter of the Reach," Mern Gardener began.

Sharra Arryn smiled. "Thank you, King Mern. The journey was of little consequence and I have longed to visit the famed seat of House Redwyne, as well as enjoy its famous wines."

Mern Gardener chuckled. "Of course. It is one of the reasons why I decided to have our meeting in the august halls of Lord Redwyne, who has proven to be a most excellent host. The same could be said of King Hoare."

Darvin Hoare sat wordlessly at his table, apparently ignoring Mern Gardener as he sipped his goblet filled with Arbor gold and stuffed bread and cheese in his mouth. From the demolished remains of the chicken drumsticks and thighs piled next to his plate, it was clear that he did not have much table etiquette, which every king had to have in order to demonstrate a sense of propriety. However, propriety was hardly followed by the ironborn and Loren Lannister figured that "King" Hoare only paid attention to his food when the "greenlander" king spoke. From what Loren Lannister saw, Sharra Arryn also looked at Darvin Hoare in disgust at his lack of table manners.

"Your Grace?" Mern Gardener addressed him. Like the rest of the lords of the Reach, he felt nothing but contempt for the ironborn but was much more polite and courteous about it.

Gulping down his food, Darvin Hoare looked up. "Oh, I apologize, Your Grace. I second Sharra Arryn's words regarding Lord Redwyne's hospitality. And I thank you for allowing myself and my people safe passage here, since the Redwynes and my people have not enjoyed the most amicable relations."

Loren Lannister saw Mern Gardener shift uncomfortably. "Of course, Your Grace. And I must thank King Loren Lannister for coming all the way from Casterly Rock. It has been years since you've graced the Arbor with your presence and I must say that your conduct here reflects your reputation."

Loren Lannister gave a smile, but had learned to not take flattery at face value. "Thank you, King Mern."

Mern Gardener clasped his hands together and placed them on his table. "Now, with the introductions out of the way, it is time that I reveal to you the purpose of inviting this distinguished body together. The four of us in this room represent diverse peoples and lands, all of whom share a connection to Westeros. And besides our esteemed friend from the Iron Islands," he put his hand to point at Darvin Hoare, who was still consuming his bread and cheese. "We are contributing followers of the Faith, but now we face very uncertain circumstances that have befallen us for nearly a year."

Loren Lannister cleared his throat, getting his attention. "Your Grace, I would appreciate it if you spared us the politeness. You're being very oblique with your intentions and I didn't come all the way from Casterly Rock to be reminded of how knights talk."

Mern Gardener paused, taken aback by Loren Lannister's directness. But he quickly recovered. "As you wish, King Loren. In a matter of months and despite having a mere three thousand troops in the beginning, House Targaryen of Dragonstone and their ally House Belaerys took down two of Westeros' most powerful monarchs through a combination of superb battle prowess and if the rumors are to be believed, four dragons."

_Oh… now I see what this is about_, Loren Lannister thought. He watched closely the progress of the Targaryens and their ally, Lord Jaenyx Belaerys, as they conducted an impressive campaign against Black Harren and Argilac Durrandon. He had heard about Rook's Rest, Wailing Willows, the burning of Harrenhal, and the battle where King Argilac was killed by a bastard. They defied all expectations by defeating their enemies one by one, but what struck Loren Lannister about the Targaryens and Lord Belaerys was the fact that they didn't rely on the power of their supposed dragons alone. They proved to be military commanders of a quality not seen much in Westeros and the Targaryens' heirs in Aegon, Visenya, and Orys alongside Lord Belaerys demonstrated courage and excellent abilities as warriors. How Orys Baratheon, Dragonstone's bastard, took down Argilac Durrandon was remarkable given how the latter was a great warrior even in his old age.

"With respect to King Hoare," Mern Gardener while glancing at Darvin Hoare, who had finished his bread and cheese but now sipped his goblet. "Black Harren was not loved among his people and there were no tears shed when he alongside King Darvin's brothers were burned at Harrenhal."

"No matter, King Mern," Darvin Hoare spoke. "My father was… a spent force. Being a king on the greenlands got to him and my ancestors forgot where they came from and instead chose to fatten themselves with bread and wine. An ironman must adhere to the Old Way or-"

"We're not interested in your sad little tale on how your people lost their way," Sharra Arryn interrupted him. "How about you let the adults talk, boy?"

That riled up Darvin Hoare. "What did you just call me, you greenland whore?"

"Is that really the best insult you can come up with, Your Grace?" Sharra Arryn scoffed as she mocked his kingly title. "Or is it 'the Unshackled Ironman?'"

Darvin Hoare stood up from his table, ready to strike at Sharra Arryn for her calling him by his nickname. However, King Mern got his attention by pounding on his own table.

"Peace, Your Graces! We share common ground here and we accomplish nothing by fighting each other. But for what it's worth, the Targaryens did my house a favor by killing the man who killed King Garse Gardener, my great-uncle."

Loren Lannister looked straight into King Mern's eyes. "Can you tell us what common ground we have? You tell us what we already about a backwater lord suddenly controlling two kingdoms in Westeros. But the way I see it, they haven't done against any of us and have no reason to come after us. Black Harren got what was coming to him and Argilac made his own choice by choosing glory in death. What is there to talk about?"

"I disagree, King Loren," Mern Gardener replied. "I believe that the Targaryens and their ally Lord Jaenyx Belaerys represent a grave threat that everyone in this room must face together. That is what His High Holiness the High Septon concluded from my most recent visit to Oldtown."

_Of course he would listen to the babblings of that bloody fanatic_, Loren Lannister silently groaned. It was no secret that the Hightowers had a lot of pull with House Gardener, due to the Gardeners bringing Oldtown into their kingdom by marriage instead of battle and because the Hightowers were very connected to the Faith of the Seven. It was a rather mutual relationship since the High Septon brought great legitimacy to the Gardeners and Highgarden provided the Starry Sept with much valuable resources. "Care to enlighten on what His High Holiness heard from the gods?" Loren Lannister almost choked from uttering those words.

"His High Holiness prayed for two weeks in the Starry Sept, not taking food or water as he called on the gods for guidance. He then called a council of the highest-ranking septons in Oldtown and heard many grievances from especially their brothers and sisters in the riverlands. For one, the Targaryens and Lord Belaerys are Valyrians, remnants of a civilization whose brought upon their own destruction by their practice of incest and delving too deep in the dark arts. Every one of their practices run contrary to the rest of Westeros and their recent conquests threaten the very fabric of our respective societies, as their speed and decisiveness against their enemies make people question as to what the gods can do about it. In addition, their endeavors send the message to the rest of the known world that the Valyrians have come back in force and we might see a rise in the practice of the dark arts as well as others that will shake our foundations."

Loren Lannister just kept silent. While such an explanation would work on a normal audience, the King of the Rock was not such and he knew that there were more practical reasons as to why Mern Gardener would bother them with the High Septon's babblings in the first place.

"Second," Mern Gardener continued. "It would seem that the Targaryens, even though they were accustomed to Westeros, have no intention of fully becoming one of us. They've expelled their maester and ceased going to the sept, which now indicates that they were never really pious followers of the Faith to begin with. They've replaced their worship of the Seven with the worship of idols, deities from old Valyria with help from a man called Taygor Leniar, who happens to be Jaenyx Belaerys' cousin. What's more disconcerting is that the Valyrians are collecting taxes from our faithful brothers and sisters and bringing that money into their own treasury. Through a custom of the Faith, a portion of any taxes and revenue collected by lords and kings must, by right, be given to the septons as tithes. The Valyrians have circumvented such a custom, which is an affront to the Faith as the Starry Sept is being denied resources that it can use to provide for the poor and bring the light of the Seven to those untouched by their grace."

Loren Lannister was getting very mentally exhausted by Mern Gardener's preachy words and basically echoing the High Septon's words, but chose to continue listening.

"Third and final, there have been growing conflicts between the faithful and the dogs of Valyrians. It would appear that the worship of the Old Gods is quite tolerated by the Valyrians, if their favor of House Blackwood of Raventree Hall is of any indication. It is a known fact that the worshipers of the Old and New Gods have never enjoyed the smoothest relations."

"Don't forget those who follow the Drowned God," Darvin Hoare cut in.

"What is of more serious note," Mern Gardener ignored Darvin Hoare. "The High Septon has received reports from especially our brothers and sisters in the riverlands that talk of rising tensions between the faithful and those who follow the Valyrians. In one instance, a septon was preaching against the incestuous marriage between two of the Targaryen heirs, Lord Aegon and Lady Rhaenys, and how such an abominous union led to the collapse of old Valyria. That septon also condemned Lord Belaerys' cousin for practicing unholy methods towards healing and for his deep delving into the mystical arts. The problem was that this septon was preaching in public and in view of certain Valyrian bannermen. A riot ensued in which the septon was arrested and a number of smallfolk died at the hands of the Valyrians. In another instance, they were many septs that were damaged during the reign of Black Harren but the Valyrians have done nothing to repair them. Combined with the incident with the septon in question and the Valyrians not using their resources to return a sense of normality to the people under their rule, the fate of the faithful are at risk."

Loren Lannister sighed. "Your Grace, I'm not interested in what the High Septon had to say to you. I'm more interested in why we're hearing it in the first place."

"You might think that they won't come after us since we haven't done anything to the Tagaryens and Lord Belaerys. However, they've clearly demonstrated their dislike of the Faith and by extension the very fabric of Westeros. If their dragons could conquer two kingdoms in a matter of months, imagine what will happen if they do decide to take the rest of the continent for themselves. The Faith will be crushed and our society replaced by that composed of the self-centered Valyrians."

Loren Lannister scoffed. "That's just mere conjecture, King Mern. Now, I've witnessed the situation in the riverlands for a while now and I haven't seen any indication of aggression towards my kingdom. And by the way, if you said had any truth to it, I wouldn't be having profitable business relations with Dragonstone, as they have no ill will towards me because of my following the Faith. Just recently, their bannermen sold a collection of Valyrian steel daggers and swords at Lannisport and it was worth every sack of gold paid. So, at the moment, I have no reason to fight them."

"But how long do you think that will last?" This time, Sharra Arryn spoke up. "The Valyrians bring foreign practices and unholy customs to our lands and our power will slowly be undone as they slowly erode away at the Faith. If the Faith is gone, then our claims to rule will be considered arbitrary as the smallfolk follow us out of a belief that were appointed by the gods themselves."

"Exactly my thoughts, Queen Sharra," Mern Gardener jabbed his finger on the table. "The Faith created a clear but delicate structure that created order from the chaos of the various petty kingdoms of the First Men and allowed for knighthood and chivalry to be ideals to strive for. The Valyrians threaten to undo that and would no doubt lead to the destruction of our strength. Everything goes back to the Faith, King Loren, and your own knights are also included."

Loren Lannister shook his head. "Spare me the patronizing speeches, King Mern. I am aware of how important the Faith is, but you wouldn't be calling us here to do something about the situation with the Targaryens and Lord Belaerys unless the High Septon is getting you to do his dirty work."

"What did you say?" Mern Gardener asked, offended.

"The High Septon commands the Warrior's Sons and the Poor Fellows as his armed strength, but that is not enough for him. You can call upon Westeros' largest army and there is no kingdom on this continent that doesn't purchase the crops of the Reach. So, I'm guessing the High Septon made a deal with you in which you provide the necessary resources he needs to combat the supposed threat from the Valyrians. I'm interested in what he offered you."

"There is nothing that was offered, King Loren," Mern Gardener denied. "I am a follower of the Seven and to answer the call of the gods' instrument on the earth is-"

"Stop right there," Loren Lannister interrupted. "If I'm going to do anything of value to your supposed call from the gods, I need your real reason as to why you would do this. And I am pretty sure that you talked with the High Septon before he had that whole 'two weeks of prayer and council meeting' nonsense. You want me to do something, you have to trust me first."

There was a moment of silence in the hall. Sharra Arryn was also curious as to what the Gardener king discussed with High Septon. As for Darvin Hoare, he still sipped from his goblet, but listened closely.

The Gardener king sighed before nodding. "As you wish. He promised to put my cousin in the line of succession to the Starry Sept and agreed to more exclusive deals with the food stores of Highgarden."

Loren Lannister scoffed. "Of course he did. So, one of your blood will ascend to become the next High Septon and the Faith will buy food more exclusively from your seat of power. I have to guess that the situation has become that desperate for the Starry Sept for the High Septon to even consider such a deal."

"There is talk among the smallfolk, King Loren. Already, they speak of the rumors of the Valyrians' power in the east of Westeros and they're starting to ask questions. If history can tell us anything about such things, it is that the smallfolk must be put in check regularly so that they wouldn't question the order of things. My deal with the High Septon would increase the power and authority of the Faith, as they would have a more reliable source of food to feed the masses and can rely on my banners should the need arise."

Loren Lannister had to admit that deal was quite cunning… for a summer knight. The Faith would be led by one from House Gardener and while the Gardener kings would gain much leverage over the Faith. However, such a deal hinged on the continuation of good harvests and maintaining the food stores when winter came. In addition, Loren Lannister couldn't help but feel that there was something else at play.

"This is all well and good, King Mern," Sharra Arryn spoke. "But if this deal exists, why are we here?"

"Aren't you a devoted member of the Faith, Your Grace?" King Mern asked. "The Valyrians represent a great threat to the Faith and by extension to all of us. We must unite together if we are to ensure the survival of the Faith and our society."

"With your blood set to become High Septon and with your deal with the Starry Sept, I don't see why you need us," Sharra Arryn answered back.

"I must admit that while I can call on an impressive host, I am still one kingdom. The Targaryens and Lord Belaerys were able to achieve great success when they were able to deal with their enemies piecemeal. If all of us came together, we'll have a chance at rolling back the Valyrian threat and to end their unholy practices, something that not even the Doom of Valyria accomplished. With the Knights of the Vale, the military prowess of House Lannister, and the naval strength of House Hoare, this could be done."

Loren Lannister stroked his chin. _So he wants a united front against the Valyrians_. In all honesty, there was no better time than to strike at the dragonlords. Their conquests were still fresh and unsolidified. One push in the right spot could see all of their efforts undone. But a Lannister would never commit to such an action without getting something in return.

"If I agree to this alliance you speak of," Loren Lannister started. "I expect there to be gains for my house."

Mern Gardener smiled. "Of course, Your Grace. If you can commit your banners to the cause of the Faith, the High Septon will legitimize any land acquisitions. But such details can be saved at a later time."

Darvin Hoare raised his hand. "Do not forget about me, King Mern. I am rightful King of the Isles and the Rivers and I would expect my lands to be returned to me."

King Mern sighed. "That can be arranged, but only if you consented to septons spreading the light of the Seven to the Iron Islands."

Darvin Hoare shook his head. "My people will not accept the Faith, but I won't bother the septons in the Riverlands once I've retaken them."

King Mern turned to Sharra Arryn. "Anything you seek for the Vale, Your Grace?"

Sharra Arryn stood straight. "I seek lands south of the Bay of Crabs, but as you said, the particulars can be worked out later."

Mern Gardener slapped lightly on the table. "Excellent! Then I propose a toast." He stood up and held out his goblet, with Loren Lannister, Sharra Arryn, and Darvin Hoare following suit. "To the destruction of Valyria. May it be permanent this time."

* * *

Loren Lannister sat opposite of King Mern, who had assumed the solar of Lord Redwyne as his liege. The King of the Rock might have agreed to the alliance, but there were still many questions that had to be answered before he fully committed. As he did not reveal his actions to his lords yet, Loren Lannister wanted all uncertainties to be put to rest.

"I assume that you're here to discuss the particulars of your potential acquisitions, King Loren," Mern Gardener began.

"Yes, and more. I must appreciate your frankness when you revealed your deal with the High Septon. Quite smart, as you would gain more with a Gardener in the Starry Sept and allowing the High Septon considerable resources from your house."

"Thank you, Your Grace," Mern Gardener smiled.

"That said, I would appreciate it if we did away with all of the niceties. I could tell that even in the great hall, you weren't revealing everything. I'm about to seriously commit my banners to a major cause, so there must be no lying between us."

"I wholeheartedly agree, King Loren," Mern Gardener nodded.

"Did you plan this ahead of time, Your Grace? I don't believe you when you say that your decision came after two weeks of the High Septon praying. I have friends in the Reach and they told me that you were gradually mobilizing your troops once word reached you of the burning of Harrenhal. And I have heard reports from my merchants in Lannisport that there has been a slight rationing of crops from the Reach by your orders. From those facts alone, it's not hard for one to deduce that you were assembling an army for a major campaign. I also am aware of increase troop movements near the Blackwater Rush and near Nightsong, though I must commend you in your attempts to keep them hidden. I'm guessing that the High Septon's prayers were merely a convenience to legitimize whatever military adventure you've planned."

Mern Gardener hesitated, but Loren Lannister felt smug as he could see that he had hit the nail on the head.

"Looks like you've earned your reputation as a well-informed ruler," Mern Gardener simply said. "There is growing discontent among the lords on both sides of the new boundaries of control. The High Septon received grievances from the Brackens of Stone Hedge, who are not taking too kindly to the Targaryens' favoritism towards their traditional enemies, the Blackwoods of Raventree Hall. Lord Bracken says a good number of other riverlords have similar feelings and will bend the knee to a ruler rooted in the Faith. At the same time, Lords Tarly and Peake have expressed concern that a number of their traditional rivals in the former Storm kingdom, mainly the Dondarrions of Blackhaven and Carons of Nightsong, have remained intact and are now serving their new overlord, this Orys Baratheon of Storm's End, the bastard of Dragonstone and who married the former Princess Argella Durrandon. As their king, I must show that I am taking their concerns into serious consideration."

"Hmmm," Loren Lannister nodded. He didn't think highly of the summer knights of the Reach, as they were too consumed with following with the chivalrous traditions of knighthood and did not think very far past the sword. But Mern Gardener was showing himself to be a proper ruler. _Only time would tell if he was a knight or a king, as you can't be both_.

"There is no better time to strike, as they have not yet solidified their control over their new lands. Most importantly, they rule over two kingdoms but have not called themselves kings. A lord ruling over such vast territories will not have a kind reception and the grievances from the Brackens are just the beginning. One strong hammer strike and we'll see Dragonstone's control crack like an egg."

"If I do agree to commit my banners to the High Septon's cause, I require certain conditions to be met before my armies enter the field alongside yours and I'm sure the Arryns' and Darvin Hoare's."

"Name them."

"I seek to expand my domain to the Red Fork past Riverrun all the way to the Gods Eye. My kingdom needs more fertile land and those lands would be perfect."

"Done, after His Holiness gives his blessing."

"And I'm guessing that I will take a major role in underwriting the coming campaign because of the gold mine in Casterly Rock. If that is the case, I demand equal command of our combined armies. You may command the largest host of the four rulers you called here, but wars cost money and I have mountains of bullion available. In addition, my soldiers will assume the vanguard in all battles."

"I beg your pardon?" Mern Gardener exclaimed.

"With respect, King Mern, you can call upon seventy thousand soldiers, but many of them are summer knights and green men who have not been exerted enough in war or tough conditions. Meanwhile, my own soldiers have been trained in the various hills in my kingdom and are much more conditioned to handle the stress of battle. Also, because I have fewer soldiers to worry about supplying and arming, each individual soldier are of a higher quality than your own."

"My lords and knights will not take that kindly, as they wish for battle as much as your own. In order for that to happen, you would need to give concessions of your own."

"How about a subsidy to cover half of any expenses you'll incur in the upcoming campaign and to purchase the necessary food that my own soldiers would need?"

Mern Gardener grinned. "Then under that term, I accept your condition for your troops to take the vanguard."

"One more condition. I would like concessions from the Starry Sept, specifically the financial obligations."

Mern Gardener arched his eyebrow. "What exactly are you aiming for?"

"My financial contributions to the Faith to be lessened by a third for the twenty-five years. As I will contribute troops to the campaign, that's the least His Holiness can offer for those that would fight for the Faith."

Mern Gardener bobbed his head in understanding. "I will see what I can do."

"Then, I believe that all of my conditions have been met. When are we commencing the campaign against the Valyrians?"

"His Holiness requires all those answering his call to be ready to march by the Warrior's Day."

"How fitting," Loren Lannister quipped.

"Indeed." They clinked their goblets as a sign of their mutual agreement.

* * *

"I don't like this, Your Grace," Weslar Reyne crossed his arms. "You're asking me to contribute my troops to a war that we have no reason to join."

"I'm not asking you, Lord Reyne," Loren Lannister replied evenly. "As your king, you are obligated to answer your king's call to arms."

"What exactly are the conditions for us if we join?" Lord Crakehall asked.

"I've asked for the riverlands along the Red Fork extending all the way to the Gods Eye. All of you can have your pick on where you can establish your house in additional keeps."

"Are we all to be solely responsible in underwriting the future campaign?" Lord Marbrand was skeptical.

"No. The Gardeners will share in the burden of supporting the combined armies. Also, we will be in the vanguard, so we will be influential in making all of the important decisions in the field."

"Will the Reach lords accept that?" Lord Lefford joined in.

"Mern Gardener will ensure that they are in control. After all, we're all of the Faith and the High Septon will take one third of yearly obligations to the Starry Sept for the next twenty-five years."

"Twenty-five years?!" Lord Westerling exclaimed. No one needed to be a genius to understand that was a serious concession from the Faith.

"This campaign will benefit us all, my lords. So, I wouldn't worry too much," Loren Lannister stated.

Slowly but surely, all of the lords sworn to the Rock nodded their assent. All but Lord Reyne, who was still unconvinced.

As the other lords retired, Loren Lannister stopped Weslar Reyne. "My lord, would you walk with me?"

"Of course, Your Grace," Lord Reyne courteously answered.

Strolling along the seaside walkway of the Arbor, they had just reached the harbor before Loren Lannister turned around and punched Weslar Reyne hard in the chest. Lord Reyne collapsed as he struggled to catch his breath. Meanwhile, Loren Lannister stared down at him with the lion's menace.

"How dare you show your dissent with me in front of the other lords," Loren Lannister scolded. "I could have you chained to be executed once we return to Casterly Rock."

"You have no strong reasons to contribute to that fat bastard in Oldtown," Weslar Reyne responded as he slowly stood back up and caught his breath. "Why commit us to this fight?"

"Why?" Loren Lannister scoffed. "Because we fucking can. And if we can, we do. If we're soft on threats while they're still in the cradle, it'll grow out of our control."

"But myself and yourself have no reason to attack Dragonstone. I have business with them and that brought me much gold into my coffers."

"Well, you'll just have to end your business with them."

"And if I don't?"

"I remember your son being castellan of Casterly Rock, which is an honor. However, he is also your house's most experienced commander of troops and you have not enjoyed good relations with the Westerlings as of late. What's to stop me from calling the forces of the Crag to Castamere while your best commander is locked away at the Rock?"

Weslar Reyne shook his head. "Even for you, Your Grace, that's a big risk. I command the second largest army in your kingdom after you, eight thousand men, while the Westerlings can only rely on half that number. One wrong move and my other sons will march on Casterly Rock."

"They can try, but understand that no army has ever managed to take Casterly Rock. And should your sons do, I can attaint you and your house for treason and no one would complain. I wonder who I would give Castamere and your daughters to in that case," Loren Lannister pondered aloud.

That got a look of fury from Weslar Reyne, who quickly suppressed it upon seeing that Loren Lannister was seriously considering that possibility.

"I thought so," Loren Lannister smugly grinned. "Call your troops once we return. I require half of them."

Weslar Reyne sighed in resignation. "As you command, Your Grace."

"Very good, my lord. Remember, I have your son at Casterly Rock. Should this campaign go well and your house does it part, you shall be rewarded beyond your comprehension."

"I shall count on it, my king."

"Do so," and Loren Lannister left Lord Reyne on the walkway. He proceed back to Lord Redwyne's castle, as he had many ravens to send.

**I told you that I will do something that will really make the Targaryens and Jaenyx conquer Westeros for real and this is it. Much of the High Septon's call to arms was based on the background for the First Crusade organized by Pope Urban II and the call for the Albigensian Crusade by Pope Innocent III. As for a lot of the key parts of the story, I thank Longclaw 1-6 for making a lot of suggestions. The Crusades were a very political affair that involved a lot of conundrums and dizzying interests, but the Roman papacy pursued the Crusades out of a desire to increase their own authority over feudal Europe. I hope I showed it well in this chapter, with the High Septon calling for arms, Mern Gardener's manuevering, and Loren Lannister's thought processes. **

**And here, we have our first Loren Lannister POV. I intend for him to be the main antagonist POV and I hope that I did the Lannisters justice, as this was incredibly difficult to write. All I know is that, now everyone connected to the Faith is really fucked, as they fight against our dragonlords at their own peril. **

**I'm working on fanart for this story, but in lieu of that, I have compiled a list of actors who I think embody the characters of this story well:**

**Jaenyx "Jae" Belaerys: Jensen Ackles **

**Aegon "Egg" Targaryen: Henry Cavill (due to the Witcher) **

**Visenya "Vis" Targaryen Belaerys: Ellen Hollman **

**Rhaenys "Rhae" Targaryen: Mia Wasikowska **

**Orys Baratheon: Tom Hardy **

**Aerion Targaryen: Jason Isaacs **

**Valeana "Val" Velaryon Targaren: Michelle Pfieffer **

**Argella Durrandon Baratheon: Jenna Coleman **

**Loren I Lannister: Jared Harris **

**Mern IX Gardener: Benedict Cumberbatch **

**Edmyn Tully: Jonathan Rhys Meyers**

**Colren Blackwood: Richard Armitage **

**Weslar Reyne: Tony Curran **

**Torrhen Stark: cross between Eric Bana and Rufus Sewell **

**Brandon Snow: Alexander Dreymon **

**Sharra Arryn: Morena Baccarin **

**Meria Martell: Shohreh Aghdashloo **

**Konno Haru: Hiroyuki Sanada**

**Darvin Hoare: Clive Standen (due to Vikings)**

**BE PREPARED! **


	25. Jaenyx VI

**Sorry for the delay in posting the chapter. Been busy with family and getting back to grad school. HAPPY NEW YEAR, everyone. I hope 2020 and the new decade will be better than the last (the 2010s will definitely go down as a decade to remember). **

**Over 200 followers of this story. I love you all so much! **

**With that, here is the new chapter. **

JAENYX VI

Jaenyx felt the air blow against his face as he held on tightly to Cloudwynd's spines. He looked upon the waters of the Blackwater Bay, feeling the same sense of calm that was familiar to him as he sailed to Dragonstone over a year ago. He was calmed by the sea's lack of past and future, as it was there before people walked the earth and would be there long after they were buried in the ground. But the sea also represented Jaenyx's wistfulness that left him static for over five years. Now, he was married to a beautiful and fierce woman, had a brother in Aegon, a sister in Rhaenys, a father in Lord Aerion, and a mother in Lady Valaena, the last of whom had finally got over her irrational distancing from her good-son after seeing how deep her daughter's love for Jaenyx had become. As for Orys… _What if he's right? What if I am hanging on to the ways of something that will never come back?_

Six moons had passed since they made peace with the rest of the stormlords, with the peace consummated with the union of Orys Baratheon and Argella Durrandon, who thankfully saw sense and bent the knee to Dragonstone and House Belaerys while agreeing to the indemnity and other conditions. Orys had moved from Dragonstone to his new home at Storm's End, where he received the stormlords' fealty, with Lord Aerion overseeing everything and naming him Lord of Storm's End and Lord Paramount of the Stormlands. Despite his new titles and Lord Targaryen addressing him as "Lord Baratheon" to show his acknowledgement of his son's new station, even Orys understood that he would have to work very hard to earn the stormlords' loyalty, as he did kill their king in battle and was an outsider.

Six moons also represented the length of time that Jaenyx and Orys were not on speaking terms. While Visenya stood by him unconditionally, she did not hide her disapproval at what what he said. She said to Jaenyx after their argument, "_I don't care what anyone says. You are my husband, but Orys is my brother and I will not allow anyone to put him down_." And that was after she slapped him hard in the face before sleeping on a separate mattress that night.

Visenya quickly got over her disappointment in Jaenyx, and so did Aegon, Rhaenys, and Lord Aerion. However, they all said that he needed to patch things up with Orys, which was easier said than done since Jaenyx was slow to forgive anyone who spoke bad of his family, even unintentionally. He didn't care that Orys was a bastard, but he began to wonder if not looking like a true Valyrian discounted total Valyrian ancestry. And what Orys said to him about not behaving like a true Valyrian either... shook him, not because of how wrong he sounded, but how right he sounded. He learned the common tongue so that his new family would be more comfortable speaking to him even if they at least understood High Valyrian, but did that make him contrary to Valyrian habits? Ragaemor Tarareon possessed the only direct knowledge of Valyrian combat arts, but he wasn't born in Valyria, so how could he say that what he taught was the true article? Cloudwynd was born in the Basilisk Isles, decades after Jaenyx's ancestors settled there and the Doom, but did that make her less of a dragon because she wasn't born while Valyria was still alive? Most disturbingly, Jaenyx might have spoken High Valyrian, but the variety spoken by him and the rest of those from the Basilisk Isles had been regarded as an ancient form long extinguished since the Doom, not many having heard it aloud in decades and only studied as part of a classical education. He didn't know what was more disturbing, that the world had moved on so fast since the Doom of Valyria or that his people had been frozen in time for too long and were thus only discovering how antiquated their ways had become to those living in the present.

Jaenyx might've been stubborn in his clinging to the ways of Valyria, but given how the world regarded such ways as ancient, he wondered if the Valyria occupying his mind was merely an idea, an idea that had only remained alive because of the ones on Dragonstone. Master Haru also taught him to not be stupid to ignore whenever people said valid words, however hurtful they were, which only made him more unsure of his strong grasping of anything remotely connected to Valyria. In a way, Orys was right in that if Jaenyx was so adamant in being a true Valyrian, whatever that meant, he would not treated Aegon or Rhaenys with any kind of love since they were just as much from Westeros as they were from old Valyria. He was also would have resisted Visenya's attempts to make him more accustomed to the ways of Westeros despite her own misgivings, as she browbeat him to learn how to properly read, write, and speak the common tongue because she wouldn't stand for others assuming that he was illiterate and unintelligent. On top of that, she also made him dress in a more ornate manner, as she said that others wouldn't take him seriously as a lord if he dressed in his simple robes like Master Haru but allowed him to continue holding onto his katana and wakizashi despite those who might be apprehensive of him wearing weapons outside of battle.

Jaenyx willed those thoughts away as he focused on flying through the sky with Visenya, Aegon, and Rhaenys. He saw Balerion banking to his left, his black scales glistening against the sunlight as he went on a slow and wide spiral downwards towards the sea. Meraxes was climbing upwards before she assumed her circle above Balerion. As for Cloudwynd and Vhagar, they were flying side by side as they watched the other two do their motions through the air.

Looking to his side at Visenya as she rode Vhagar, Jaenyx signaled for her to bank to her right while he went left. He intended for the both of them to pass between Meraxes and Balerion, converging on each other in a scissor-like motion before diverging in separate directions. Meraxes fly high above Balerion, allowing a vantage point from which to dive onto whomever approached her way, while Balerion's spiral was gradual enough from him to climb back up upon seeing another dragon come near him. He would leave Aegon to Visenya, while he would go after Rhaenys. Although Vhagar was just as agile as Cloudwynd and Meraxes, she had a slightly bigger build than the latter two and would be more useful in flying around Aegon and Balerion. Also, Jaenyx wanted to find out how good Rhaenys was a dragonrider.

"_Steady, girl. Wait for it_," Jaenyx urged Cloudwynd as she went into a wide half-circle before coming head on with Vhagar. As they both completed their arcs, they were directly ahead of each other and both were fast closing the distance between them. Before they collided, Cloudwynd and Vhagar folded their wings and spun past each other as Jaenyx held onto to her spines tightly to avoid falling off. Afterwards, Cloudwynd dove towards the sea and leveled out before touching the surface. As she climbed back up, he could see that Balerion was giving chase to Vhagar while he saw Meraxes dive on top of him and began her own chase.

Cloudwynd made her climb back into sky steeper, hoping that Meraxes might tire out before giving up the chase. As Jaenyx struggled to keep his grip on Cloudwynd's spines and felt his feet almost sliding off of her back as the climb became more steep, he looked back, or down, and saw that Meraxes had not only pursued them into their sharp ascent but was gaining on them.

Warning Cloudwynd, she roared in response before arching her neck downwards, with her body and Jaenyx following as she folded her wings again to gain as much speed as possible from their rapid descent. Jaenyx squinted his eyes and felt the air blowing very hard his hair, no doubt making them puffy when they did land back on Dragonstone. Cloudwynd again leveled out before touching the sea, but this time staying only a few feet above the surface. Her fast flying just above the waters caused waves to form and sprays to splash onto Jaenyx's face.

Jaenyx turned around again, impressed that Meraxes had maintained her pursuit of Cloudwynd. A thought coming to his mind, he had Cloudwynd climb back up to be level with Meraxes, who was closing in on them. Then, slapping on her neck, Cloudwynd yelped as she outstretched her wings against the flow of air, causing her to go just above Meraxes and keep her mid-flight, for a short moment. Feeling his body jerk at the sudden stoppage, Jaenyx grinned as Cloudwynd resumed flying level and saw that he was now behind Meraxes. _Well, now I know what move to use against Rhae the next time we fly_. He had only done that move on instinct, but his trusting of his instincts paid off.

However, Jaenyx realized that he celebrated too early, as Meraxes quickly recovered from her blunder and turned into Cloudwynd. Acting quickly, he had Cloudwynd also turn into Meraxes and thus began a circle of dominance in the skies above the Blackwater Bay. While both Cloudwynd and Meraxes were about the same size, the former had a longer neck and had more reach while the latter was more streamlined and agile. Cloudwynd used her longer neck to try to bite at Meraxes' tail while they were still locked in the circle, but Meraxes had fast reactions and strained herself to close the circle.

Seeing that Meraxes was being persistent and knowing that Cloudwynd would not be able to close the circle before Meraxes, Jaenyx got out of the circle and banked to the right. Looking to his left, he saw Meraxes fly up next to Cloudwynd, their wing tips almost touching each other. Seeing Rhaenys gesture to Dragonstone, Jaenyx nodded before they flew back together.

Landing at the same clearing where Jaenyx met them over a year ago, he slid off Cloudwynd while Rhaenys slid off Meraxes. Rubbing Cloudwynd's snout while telling her what a good job she did with that new move, he allowed her to fly back into the sky to soar at her leisure. He saw Rhaenys do the exact same thing, but she kissed Meraxes' snout before also allowing her to fly above Dragonstone.

"That was a really good move there, Jae," Rhaenys walked up to him. "Didn't expect that."

"_Thought I'd try something I don't think any dragonrider ever attempted before. Not even you_," Jaenyx smugly replied.

"Careful," Rhaenys playfully warned. "Don't want to get too boastful now."

"Okay, okay," Jaenyx put his hands up. "I will say that you and Meraxes move as one, like all dragonriders should. Meraxes is very agile and persistent."

Rhaenys nodded, but Jaenyx also noticed her raising an eyebrow. "That she is. When did you start speaking the common tongue?"

Jaenyx paused before realizing what he just did. Whenever he was with Visenya or with family, he spoke High Valyrian. But the knowledge of how... archaic his habits really were caused him to be more like his new family.

"I've been with you, Vis, Egg, and the others for over a year now. Might save some headaches between us if I started using the common tongue more often," Jaenyx simply answered.

Rhaenys shook her head, not convinced. "No, I don't think that's it."

"What?"

Rhaenys crossed her arms. "Come on, Jae. I've had over a year to know you, and I know how annoyingly stubborn you are when it comes to staying true to your Valyrian roots." Jaenyx looked to the ground, as her words were true. "You wouldn't just start talking in the common tongue unless something serious happened. What is it?"

"It's not that simple, Rhae."

Rhaenys shrugged. "We got time."

Jaenyx told Rhaenys everything, of how his last talk with Orys shook him and made him more unsure of what believed now. He emphasized that he still saw himself as a son of Valyria, but he revealed to Rhaenys what meaning that held anymore as the world had moved on so fast after the Doom.

"Does Vis know?" Rhaenys asked after she took a moment to absorb Jaenyx's growing doubts about his own identity. He nodded, causing Rhaenys to also nod. "Well, what do you know? The proud Valyrian suddenly having doubts," she remarked dryly.

"I'm being serious, Rhae."

"I know, but all I can say is that I am happy you're thinking that way."

Jaenyx blinked. "What do you mean?"

"To be honest with you, Jae, I was quite shocked at how you really thought about Westeros. I may be of Valyria just like you, but this is my home and it hurt me when my brother, and the man that my sister loves, spoke of it in that way. And I believe that you don't have to reject the ways of Westeros in order to be counted as a 'true Valyrian', because it is as you said. What does being a true Valyrian mean anymore? We are the last of the dragonlords, but I don't think that we should stick onto the ways of the past."

Jaenyx sighed. The Targaryens and himself were the only ones left in the world who had the blood of dragons running through their veins. Before the Doom, there were forty dragonlord families and there was a defined order on who was more powerful and how they should all act within their stations. While the Doom might have made wiped out most of Valyria, the civilization lived on through him and his new family. At the same time, Jaenyx began to wonder if it was wise to be stuck in the old ways.

Rhaenys patted him on the shoulder. "But let's not focus on that now. We have name-day celebrations to prepare for, and your first thoughts should be on making it the best one you could. After all, it's Visenya's."

That got Jaenyx out of his stupor. "Fuck, you're right. Damn it."

Rhaenys giggled. "It's fun when you curse in the common tongue. You should do it more often."

"Shut up," Jaenyx retorted, with slight annoyance. "Oh, that reminds me. I wanted to show you my gift to Visenya. She's a hard woman to please, but I hope this will work." Jaenyx took a small velvet box from his pocket and handed it to Rhaenys. Seeing that she was curious, he allowed her to open it. He saw her eyes widen at it.

"This is beautiful," Rhaenys said in awe. "Where did you get this?"

"It was my mother's," Jaenyx replied.

Rhaenys closed the box and handed it back to Jaenyx. "She'll love it. I just know it."

* * *

Jaenyx strummed his lute in the center of the hall while Rhaenys played her fiddle. He was sitting down while she was standing up with her eyes closed, her mind fully immersed in the music. This was the final performance of the celebrations before Visenya opened her presents from the various lords under them. Besides House Targaryen's traditional vassals in the Blackwater Bay as well as the new ones such as the Rosbys and the Stokeworths, riverlords including Colren Blackwood and stormlords such as Lord Dondarrion had arrived at Dragonstone to celebrate their overlord's daughter's name-day. Jaenyx alongside his new family were surprised that any stormlord would show up, but Lord Aerion knew that accepting their invitation to Visenya's name-day was in itself a political move. House Dondarrion of Blackhaven suffered remained relatively intact during the subjugation of the stormlands and was the first house to swear fealty to Orys Baratheon as their new lord paramount, which was astonishing given that the Dondarrions were marcher lords and were quite loyal to the late King Argilac. By being the first to swear fealty and showing up at his daughter's name-day celebrations, Lord Aerion explained that houses like the Dondarrions were seeking to advance themselves in the new order of things. _Even my wife's name-day has to be filled with politicking. How boring._

With the celebrations held in the great hall of Dragonstone, Lord Aerion and Lady Valaena spared no expense when it came to celebrating their daughter's twentieth name-day. They had caskets of Arbor gold, Dornish red, Lys white, and even a bit of the Yi-Tish arakju served to the guests. Stags, chickens, aurochs, roasted boars, boiled crabs, fried fish, and many loaves of bread filled the bellies of many, alongside grapes, berries, apples, and other fruits. There was singing, dancing, and musical performances with the lute, fiddle, recorder, and even the kotos. It was also the first time that Visenya took to the floor and danced with Jaenyx, although both were not very good at it compared to Rhaenys and Aegon. Only Jaenyx's and Visenya's fluidity, attained from Master Haru's teaching him the fast and agile combat ways of Yi-Ti and her naturally nimble fighting style, saved them both from looking too stiff and from enormous embarrassment.

However, Jaenyx and Rhaenys decided to top off the feast and dancing with a performance of their own. Remembering a song that Master Haru would sing to his beloved wife (she was long dead before he came to the Basilisk Isles), he modified it to include instruments not from Yi-Ti and went it over with Rhaenys the night before. Even though Visenya was not as taken to song as was Rhaenys, he thought it would be a song she would understand very well. As he played the lute and Rhaenys the fiddle, he began with:

"Nanimo motazu ni umareochita boku

Towa no sukima de notauchimawatteru

Akirameta mono to kashikoi mono dake ga

Shousha no jidai ni doko de iki wo suu

Shihaisha mo kami mo dokoka taningao

Dakedo hontou wa wakatteru hazu

Yuuki ya kibou ya kizuna to ka no mahou

Tsukaimichi mo naku otona wa me wo somukeru

Sore demo ano hi no kimi ga ima mo mada

Boku no zen seigi no domannaka ni iru

Sekai ga senaka wo muketemo mada nao

Tachimukau kimi ga ima mo koko ni iru

Ai ni dekiru koto wa mada aru kai

Boku ni dekiru koto wa mada aru kai

Kimi ga kureta yuuki dakara

Kimi no tame ni tsukaitain da

Kimi to wakeatta ai dakara

Kimi to janakya imi ga nain da

Ai ni dekiru koto wa mada aru kai

Boku ni dekiru koto wa mada aru kai"

Rhaenys then came with her fiddle, her fingers moving gracefully while her immersion into the music added to the power of the song. The kotos played by Arata and Kenzou Haru added texture.

"Nanimo nai bokutachi ni

Naze yume wo misaseta ka

Owari aru jinsei ni

Naze kibou wo motaseta ka

Naze kono te wo surinukeru

Mono bakari ataeta ka

Sore demo nao shigamitsuku

Bokura wa minikui kai

Soretomo kirei kai kotaete yo"

Rhaenys played faster and harder with the fiddle as Jaenyx finished the bridge, with Arata and Kenzou also adding to the texture of the crescendo before fading away.

"Ai no uta mo utawaretsukushita

Amata no eiga de katararetsukushita

Son'na kouya mo

Umareochita boku, kimi sore demo

Ai ni dekiru koto wa mada aru yo

Boku ni dekiru koto wa mada aru yo"

Jaenyx sung that last verse with only a few strums of the lute and with a lowered voice before finishing off with a glide down the strings. As soon as he finished, there were thunderous applause in the great hall as the many lords and ladies stood up clapping. They didn't understand a word in Jaenyx's song, "Ai ni dekiru koto wa mada aru kai", but they felt the emotions behind the music and enjoyed it nonetheless.

As for Visenya, her understanding of nihongo had progressed to the point where she could carry on with the Harus and the other people who hailed from Yi-Ti and who were with them at the moment. She never heard the song before, but Jaenyx could tell how… moved she was. Like most of the songs in Westeros, it was a song about love. But instead of boasting about a man's desire for a woman and all of that, the song talked about love and meditated on what exactly it was. More importantly, it talked about how love gave one the courage to push through seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

Jaenyx and Rhaenys bowed in gratitude for the audience's reception before setting down the lute and fiddle. Once he sat back down next to Visenya, she pulled his face towards her and gave him a strong kiss, prompting cheers from the hall.

Then came the time for Visenya to open her presents. Her cousin Daemon Velaryon gave her a book containing the maps of the known world, which appealed to her intellectual interests. Crispian Celtigar gave her golden bracelets melted down from what remained of the treasury at Harrenhal. Riverlords such as Lord Blackwood and Lord Tully (the latter having to come as was his responsibility as one of Jaenyx's deputies) and stormlords such as Lord Dondarrion and Lord Tarth (the father of Ser Bruze Tarth) presented their own gifts, with one being a peacock. Jaenyx saw Visenya stifle a laugh at the peacock, as the gift was ridiculous in itself and she didn't know what she would need such a bird for.

Then came the gifts from her family. Lord Aerion presented her with a necklace made of rubies and held together with Valyrian steel chains. Lady Valaena presented her with earrings, also made of rubies but with gold linings. Orys, still dressed in riding leathers despite now being a lord himself, presented her with a khukuri knife that he got off of one of his raids in the Stepstones. Pirates had been ravaging the shores of the stormlands since Argilac died, so Orys took it upon himself as lord paramount to deal with them personally. Jaenyx saw that Visenya was eyeing the curved but wide knife up and down, before sheathing it in her belt and giving Orys a big hug.

Rhaenys gifted her with something that Jaenyx did not expect her to have: a glass candle. Made of obsidian and powered by magic, the light they gave off was said to have done strange things to colors, making bright colors such as white, yellow, or red shine unusually brightly, while dark colors such as blue or black turned as dark as night. It was said that glass candles could be used to observe far away events and communicate with other glass candles over vast distances. The only other person he knew of that had a glass candle was Taygor, but his cousin merely used it as an heirloom since there were no other glass candles to talk with. Until now. When asked by Visenya as to where he got it, as the rest in the great hall was curious since the only glass candles they knew of were in the Citadel, she cryptically replied with, "Well, don't tell the Citadel about it, or they might think that I stole it from my last visit."

Aegon presented her with a Dornish scimitar, which he purchased during his most recent visit to Nightsong from an archer who had claimed it from a Dornishman he killed. Unsheathing the scimitar, Visenya was surprised at how… black the blade was and how light and sandy it felt in her hands. Aegon couldn't answer her question other than that the archer told him that he got it off of some member of House Yronwood. Visenya set the scimitar down before embracing her little brother.

Visenya then turned to Jaenyx and looked at him expectedly. Wasting no time, Jaenyx pulled out the velvet box from his pocket and handed it to her with both hands. Feeling the smoothness of the box, she opened it and like Rhaenys, her eyes widened in awe.

"_Where did you get this_?" Visenya asked while still focused on the contents of the box.

Jaenyx offered her a small smile. "_It was my mother's. She got it from her father, who is also my and Taygor's grandfather. She said that my grandfather's family, the Leniars, had carried that ring for a thousand years and whoever wore it will truly be unbreakable in body and in mind. It is said that the jewel was formed from the Fourteen Flames themselves, meaning that you will have the original essence of Valyria's fire flowing inside of you. All of us know how strong and durable you are, and so was my mother in a way_." Jaenyx paused before continuing. "_Let this ring and its origins from Valyria's volcanoes make you so strong that nothing can ever break you or ground you down._"

Visenya took the ring out of the box. Made of Valyrian steel, she and everyone was surprised that the jewel was an emerald. However, there was some red inside the green and if one looked closely, they could see the red moving, as if a blood mist was flowing back and forth. She put the ring on her right ring finger, as she was right-handed and putting a ring on that finger meant everlasting love. Smiling at Jaenyx's gift, she gazed at him before walking up to him, putting her arms around his neck, and giving him another strong kiss, which also prompted more cheering.

"_I'm not never taking this off_," Visenya whispered to him.

"I don't expect you to," Jaenyx replied with a smile.

Visenya grinned. "You should speak the common tongue more often. Might save us some confusion."

Jaenyx shrugged. "Maybe, but you also know that it's a big step for me to do so."

"I know," Visenya nodded her head. "But I'm glad you're taking it. It shows that you really do care about us enough to do so and that you're seeing that not everything of Westeros compromises with us being Valyrians."

"Still learning on how to differentiate on what does and doesn't work well with our Valyrian roots."

"But I'm glad you're making the effort regardless. It means that you're not such a stubborn hardass after all, which is really annoying."

"I'm happy that you think that way, Vis," Jaenyx replied with sincerity before leaning in to kiss her again.

After the celebrations ended, their guests retired to their chambers, Aegon and Rhaenys to theirs, Lord Aerion and Lady Valaena to the lord's chambers, Orys and Argella to his old room, and Jaenyx and Visenya to hers. As soon as the doors closed, Visenya turned around and undid her braid before pulling on a long string hanging over her right shoulder that Jaenyx did not notice before. He blinked and felt his eyes widen as her blue gown with red/black lining (which she wore more often to honor her belonging to both Houses Belaerys and Targaryen) loosened around her shoulders, allowing her to wiggle her arms out of the sleeves and pulling it down to the floor. Stepping out of the gown that pooled at her feet, her bare form was exposed to his feasting eyes.

"_That's… how did you learn how to untie your gown so quickly_?" Jaenyx had to ask.

"_Oh, now you're speaking High Valyrian now?_" Visenya raised her eyebrows, as she walked closer to him until their noses almost touched. "You should speak the common tongue more often. I like your accent."

"You didn't answer my question," Jaenyx pointed out.

"I had Taygor come up with something for me to undress faster. Didn't know that he knew how to make clothes."

"That's one of his hobbies," Jaenyx nodded.

"Sometimes," Visenya continued. "I just want to feel you inside me so much that I can't wait for you to get my dress or breeches off." Pulling him into a kiss, she held up the finger where Jaenyx's mother's ring was. "Thank you for giving me your mother's ring, Jae. I'm never taking this off, ever."

Jaenyx chuckled as she stroked her hair. "I wouldn't expect you to, and I'm sure she would have liked it on you."

Jaenyx saw Visenya beam before he felt himself being pulled to the ground and his wind knocked out of him as she kneed him in the gut. Falling to his knees, his face was conveniently in front of her clit, which he only stared at for a moment before he felt Visenya shove him deep into it. "Pleasure me, Jae," Visenya ordered him blissfully. "I want to feel good."

Jaenyx felt her fingers curled into his silver locks as she urged him deeper with the determined fury and passion of a dragon, to the things he was doing with his mouth and tongue. As soon as the wet organ touched her even wetter core, he heard Visenya moaned loud enough that even the dragons who were resting just outside the castle of Dragonstone could hear. "_Oh, my gods. How are you doing this to me_?"

Jaenyx couldn't help but smirk, licking up a trail along her slit. While Visenya would be as likely to let him ravage her on the bed as she would in pinning him down and subduing him so that she could whatever she wanted with him, today was different. Instead of subduing and then completely dominating him, she had got him on his knees, with his clothes still on, and allowed him to do his work. Jaenyx could guess that she was so touched by him giving her something so precious as his mother's ring that she was granting him leeway in how he pleasured her.

"Unnnhhh…" His tongue parted through her folds in its mission. The heat ever present inside Visenya rose to new heights. "Don't. Stop."

"Of course, Vis," he said in his dark, husky wolf growl. She was the only person that Jaenyx took orders from, as she proved time and again how capable she was both on and off the field of battle. A man would rue the day when he showed her even a hint of disrespect for her abilities, and it was easy for Jaenyx to avoid that because true love prevented one from feeling less while finding out how that person complemented the other. Her moans spurred him forward, drove his lust and hunger. Running his hands over her ass, Jaenyx plunged his tongue as deep as he could.

Jaenyx was sure that Vhagar channeled her flames in Visenya's entrance, as he felt heat enveloping his tongue and mouth. A scream left her lips, fingers pulling so hard on Jaenyx's hair that he almost yelped from the sharp tug on his hair. _"Kessa, Jae. Harder. More,"_ she murmured repeatedly. His tongue doubled its pace, Jaenyx turned on from her chattering. Swiping over a particular spot inside her, the one placed that never ceased to erupt in dragonfire within her when they made love, he felt her shatter into his waiting mouth. "JAE!"

Lapping up the gush of wetness pouring out of Visenya's core, Jae smiled in satisfaction. Nothing like making the truly unbreakable warrior dragon that was his wife limp even though she was still standing. Kissing her navel, he kissed his way up through Visenya's torso and on her breasts before meeting her lips, feeling her body tremble from the aftershocks. "So, was that enough for you?"

Visenya blinked. "You need to ask that, Jae?" she slowly came to her senses. Before Jaenyx could respond, he felt her grab at the top of his tunic before she ripped it in two, pressing her lips against his neck as she bit on it and ran her hands along the lines of his muscled torso. Grunting in pain, he continued to feel her smacks while he felt her greedy fingers undo his breeches and shoving them down.

"Hold still, Jae," Visenya whispered as she knelt down as she made Jaenyx. "Let your wife pleasure you," were her words before he felt a strong sensation around his cock.

"Vis..." The tender loving care of his warrior dragon suppressing all feeling in Jaenyx's body, all he could do was gasp and grab her head. His fingers weaved into her hair. Only she could reduce him to this state, and by the smirk on her lips, he knew that she knew it. Before he knew, Visenya sucked his tip and took him deep.

"Fuck!" Jaenyx felt his cock erupt into her mouth, Visenya's tongue swiping over him to prolong the pleasure. But they were not done, as she stood up quickly and gave him a sick smile before he felt her squeeze his earlobe. "Ah, ah, ah," Jaenyx let out as she lead his head and body towards the bed. "Easy, Vis."

"Daor," Visenya shook her head before pushing Jaenyx onto the mattress. He barely got onto his back before she went on top of him, pinned his arms above his head, and straddled his waist.

Jaenyx felt his face turn blue as Visenya began to aggressively kiss him, his air slowly leaving him. Fortunately, she broke off the kiss before guiding his cock into her entrance. She then slapped him hard in the face.

"_What was that for_?" Jaenyx asked incredulously.

"You're not trying hard enough," Visenya growled. "I want you to ride me as much as I will ride you now."

"_Um, how will I do that when I'm on my back_?"

"You'll figure it out," Visenya smirked before impaling herself on him. Feeling her squeeze on his length and the expressions on her face almost made him climax. Her eyes were shut tightly, his warrior dragon biting her lower lip as she tried to control her moans at how delightful their coupling was.

Remembering her words, Jaenyx ran his hands up to cup Visenya's breasts, satisfied at the sighs of happiness leaving her mouth as he squeezed them. He ignored the slaps of skin on skin, the creaking of the bed, and their mutual moans that filled their chambers as he shot himself upward. Visenya wanted him to ride her, so that was what he was doing.

Feeling himself nearing the edge, Jaenyx thrusted harder into Visenya. "Look at me, Vis. Say my name and scream like a dragon," he told her.

Visenya stared at him, their violet eyes meeting each other while seeing the dragonfire blaze behind their irises. "Jae… Jae…" At last, the climax came. "JAE!" He felt himself erupt into her, waves of pleasure reverberating through their bodies as they both froze. Finally, Visenya collapsed onto him. She slid off of his torso before snuggling close to him, with Jaenyx wrapping her with his left arm and bringing her closer.

"Thanks for the gift, Jae," Visenya whispered in content. "Already, I feel the fire in me burning brighter than before."

Jaenyx smiled. "That's probably my mother giving you her essence. I just hoped that she met you."

Visenya kissed his jawline. "I don't have to. I know she is here," she raised her finger that had the ring. "And I know she lives on in you. She would be proud of you, Jae."

Jaenyx felt a tear fall down his cheek before Visenya wiped it off of him. "Thank you, Vis," he choked.

Visenya rested her head on his shoulder. "No need to thank me, Jae. We are bound for life."

* * *

"What do you mean you haven't consummated the marriage?" Lord Aerion was exasperated.

"It's the truth, father," Orys replied.

Lord Aerion sighed, livid. "Son, do you realize what you've just done? You've put our peace with the stormlords at risk!"

Jaenyx was about to discuss some business with Lord Aerion about the riverlords when he accidentally walked in on him, Aegon, Rhaenys, and Visenya talking with Lord Baratheon in the lord's solar. He was about to leave before Lord Targaryen stopped him, saying that the discussion they were having was for family and he counted. Jaenyx was hesitant to be in the same room as Orys, but he saw no reason to not listen in on their conversation.

What Jaenyx did not expect was Orys confessing that he had not consummated his union with Argella Durrandon, who remained a maiden. That was surprising, given how Orys must have inherited Lord Aerion's predilection for whoring before marrying Lady Valaena.

"One of the terms of our peace with the stormlords besides making the Lord of Storm's End is the union between you and Argella Durrandon. If we still followed the Faith, any marriage that has not been consummated does not exist. And therefore, our peace agreement is null and void. Have you ever considered that?!" Lord Aerion was very close to exploding, prompting his children and Jaenyx to move slightly away from him. "Jaenyx," he turned to him. "If a marriage is not consummated in the eyes of the gods of Valyria, does it exist?"

"No, Lord Aerion," Jaenyx nodded. Marriages among dragonlords were also used for political purposes and that was one of the few things that the rest of Westeros had in common with Valyria.

"I just couldn't do it, father," Orys simply answered.

"And why not? You've fucked any woman you could get your hands on so far. Surely, Lady Argella is no different."

Orys sighed as he collected himself. "She cried, father."

That caught his attention, as did everyone else in the room. Even Jaenyx widened his eyes in surprise.

"What do you mean by that, son?" Lord Aerion softened his gaze.

"You're right, father. I've fucked every woman I could get my fingers on. And they enjoyed my time with them as much as I with them. But they smiled and laughed while I had my business with them." Aegon and Rhaenys sighed, while Visenya and Jaenyx groaned. Lord Aerion kept listening. "I followed Lady Argella's wishes for our ceremony to combine elements of the Faith and of Valyria, but as we were in our chambers alone, she started crying. Even though she accepts that her father was foolish in attacking us, having the man that killed her father bed her was not something she could bear. All of the past women wanted me to bed them, but I couldn't do it when I saw her tears. So, I just slept on the bed and didn't go past that point yet."

For a moment, Jaenyx felt something soften in him. He never had a high opinion of Orys, as was clear from their talk six moons ago. However, to see him admit such intimate details and tell all of them of his inability to bed the daughter of the man he killed made him… stop and think. _Why do I keep seeing more to him than met my gaze_? He wasn't going to admit to anyone besides Visenya and Rhaenys just yet of his doubts, but their brother was clearly more than the whoring and hard-headed fool that he initially saw him as.

Then, Lord Aerion laughed. That caused everyone else in the solar to chuckle, albeit uneasily. All except Orys, who was confused as to why his father was laughing. Wiping a tear from his eye, Lord Aerion calmed down. "Don't misunderstand me, son. I'm not laughing at you. A beautiful and strong woman who was crying stopping you from bedding her… that's one for the songs if word got out and everyone knew your past self."

"I just couldn't do it, father. I might be a whoring bastard, but I do have decency." That shocked everyone else to see him speak so lowly of himself. Granted, they saw him feel that way, but never aloud.

"Oh, I know you do," Lord Aerion nodded. "And while I can admire that you are being considerate for Lady Argella's situation, you also have to understand that there are consequences to your actions. After all, we're of noble birth and there is no such thing as no ramifications for our deeds." Lord Aerion leaned closer to him while switching back to his serious self. "Who else knows that you haven't bedded your wife yet?"

"Perhaps a few servants," Orys sheepishly shrugged.

Lord Aerion lowered his head and sighed. "The gods have pity… Fortunately, there is time to rectify your mistakes, son. As you're both on Dragonstone at the moment, you will bed your wife tonight. I will have servants hearing you through the door and the walls. If they tell me that they heard anything other than the both of you fucking, there will be hells to pay, and it won't be just yourself that you'll endanger by essentially making your union nonexistent. Do you understand?"

Orys looked at him with sad eyes, but Lord Aerion was not receptive.

"Do. You. Understand?" he repeated.

"Yes, father," Orys nodded, resigned.

"Good. Now, go see to your wife. Say whatever you have to say to her, but you will bed her tonight. And I expect the both of you to make an heir. As for myself, I will see to anyone who knows of the truth," their father pointed to him before Orys showed himself out.

"Was that necessary, father?" Aegon asked. "He was only being considerate to Lady Argella's feelings."

Lord Aerion exhaled. "And I am glad that he is showing to others besides us that he has a heart. But now's not the time to let sentimentality affect our judgment. Do you realize what would happen if the stormlords found out that Orys did not consummate the union with Lady Argella?"

Aegon didn't answer. "Not only would the peace be jeopardized, Orys' credibility as a lord in his own right would be at risk because as much as I hate to say this, Westeros will never respect a lord that has been hindered by his lady. Orys has a long way to go before he gets the necessary experience, but this will be a good opportunity for him to understand that his feelings will sometimes have to be suppressed for his lordly duties."

"But you said that you wanted Orys to find a woman. Shouldn't his feelings matter in that instance?" Rhaenys pointed out.

"I stand by my words, Rhae," Lord Aerion replied. "I want Orys to find a woman that can keep him in check and can give him love. I also want him to start acting as appropriate to his new station. He has to worry about his lordship, his sworn lords, his smallfolk, the land, and other concerns that only a lord would understand. If he doesn't perform his role properly, everything will be undone, a little at a time."

"But why give Orys Storm's End if you think he doesn't have the experience?" Visenya asked.

"Unlike him, all of you will share in the inheritance I will leave behind when I'm gone," Lord Aerion put bluntly. "Egg and Rhae will get Dragonstone, and you and Jaenyx will have your own lands and keeps to worry about. Orys doesn't have that, but I will not allow him to sell his sword or stoop so low as is common for bastard children. He's thirty and to have no inheritance at that age is an embarrassment I won't put him through. And what better way to learn about being a lord than to actually be a lord? This will be a good learning experience for him."

Jaenyx could only feel respect for Lord Aerion showing so much consideration for his children. From his interactions with Chrass Rivers, the fact that he had a keep at all was a miracle and a testament to his abilities. For Orys, he not only had a keep to his name, but was a powerful lord underneath Dragonstone. He would have to stop thinking like a bastard, as was sadly the case for others born in his position, if he was to succeed as a lord and Lord Aerion had also found a way to erase the stain of bastardy from Orys' mind. _Clever, Lord Targaryen_.

Despite being in the lord's solar, Lord Aerion allowed Aegon, Rhaenys, Visenya, and Jaenyx to conduct their daily business there. While Aegon and Rhaenys helped their father manage the affairs of Dragonstone, Jaenyx and Visenya went through the affairs of the riverlands. Already, the peace in that region was being threatened after Black Harren perished. Despite the Blackwoods and Tullys performing to their best abilities as his deputies, there were growing concerns among the riverlords in regards to their policies in the regions. For starters, houses such as the Brackens of Stone Hedge and the Freys of the Crossing protested when Dragonstone made them cease all payments of the tithe to the Starry Sept, which was the center of the Faith of the Seven in Westeros. With himself and later House Targaryen professing no piety to the Faith, there was no point in supporting all of them supporting the rebuilding of the septs or giving money to a religion they didn't follow. They didn't stop the individual lords from rebuilding the septs themselves, but that meant taking more coin out of their pockets than before. This of course made some of the riverlords complain, not that Jaenyx would concern himself with their grumbling.

The riverlords that complained also seemed to forget how much damage the late Black Harren had done to the region, with the damage requiring more coin than was possible to raise with normal taxation to repair. Besides the remnants of the treasury at the ruins of Harrenhal, which was substantial, certain houses such as House Roote were fined for standing by the ironborn and alongside the revenues gained from the ceasing of the tithes, there was just enough coin to begin rebuilding the region. Fields were being restored, crops were being resown, villages were seeing their original inhabitants return, and infrastructure along the rivers was being rebuilt. It was a slow process, but Jaenyx estimated that after a few years, the riverlands would flourish and the grumbling lords silenced.

In regards to the ruins of Harrenhal, Jaenyx read the latest report from Aevor Rahitheon. The Rahitheons removed much of the stone used to build the fortress, to be transported elsewhere via ox and boat, while the walls and the remaining standing structures were maintained. However, Aevor Rahitheon recommended that they only use Harrenhal as a place to gather troops and as a supply depot, as no lord on Westeros could hope to properly utilize Black Harren's vanity project as their own keep. Trusting his judgment, Jaenyx stamped his approval with his seal and thus making Harrenhal remain under Dragonstone's control but with no lord over it.

But more serious to Jaenyx was the most recent dispatch from Lord Colren Blackwood, which Visenya pointed out to him. The Brackens were increasing their troop movements in their lands along the Red Fork, with some of them dangerously close to the Blackwood lands around Raventree Hall. It was no secret that Lord Bracken resented Lord Aerion and Jaenyx himself favoring House Blackwood for being the first to lend them any kind of support, and Lord Bracken was a close acquaintance of Edmyn Tully. However, Jaenyx was barely able to keep the peace between the Brackens and the Blackwoods, as any fighting between two powerful houses in the riverlands would set back any progress they made towards rebuilding the region. He tried to bribe the Lord Bracken with a portion from Black Harren's treasury, which was still a small fortune, from doing anything rash. Apparently, bribery didn't work and Jaenyx cursed himself for thinking that blood feuds could be solved with coin.

Fortunately, Jaenyx remembered a lesson from Master Haru in regards to spying and had set up his own network of agents that operated throughout the region. He employed servants, cooks, merchants, prostitutes and any other person that engaged in close contact with the various riverlords or anyone else deemed important. He was careful to trust merchants and whores, as they were as likely to tell their clients what they were really doing as spying on them on his behalf if it meant getting more coin. Therefore, he would pay them only after they told him information of great substance while showing he would not hesitate in punishing those that would try to double-cross him.

Such was the time when Jaenyx found out that one of the prostitutes he employed told her client, a Piper, that she was in fact trying to fish information out of him. It was easy for him to deny knowledge of his activity, as nobody trusted the word of a whore, but betrayal did not go unpunished. He went to the brothel, dragged that whore through the back door, and was prepared to cut her throat. However, Visenya had accompanied him and told him to stay his dagger, before she beat that prostitute to a bloody pulp. None of his agents knew each other, but they didn't need to as they all heard about what his wife did and were thus kept in line.

However, Jaenyx warned his agents not to ask direct questions and instead to lead their clients on. He paid half a pound of silver to each of his agents whenever they did give him substantial information, and he and Visenya came up with an expense book to keep track of their agents and how much they were paying them. But they were wise to write the journal in a mixture of nihongo and High Valyrian, as only a few people in Westeros could even read a little of the latter and none for the former in case that journal got into the wrong hands. They had to take every precaution, as complacency breeds serious mistakes.

Another thing that was concerning for Jaenyx was the fact that an armed group of the Faith, calling themselves the Poor Fellows, were seen more frequently in the riverlands. He had studied the armed wing of the Faith, aptly called the Faith Militant or the Stars and Swords, with the Poor Fellows essentially being the rabble. However, they were more numerous than the better-armed Warrior's Sons and acted with infrequency, with only their red seven-pointed stars making it possible to keep track of them. He didn't bother with the Faith's activities in the riverlands, but they were increasing disturbances between septons preaching against the Valyrian practices of the family and the Valyrian bannermen patrolling throughout the region. After that riot in which the septon speaking against Aegon and Rhaenys' marriage was arrested by a mix of Celtigar and Tarareon soldiers, there was a spike in Poor Fellows' activity. He warned his bannermen to remain vigilant while also getting Lord Blackwood to send out his own men dressed in plain garments to further monitor lords and smallfolk that were getting increasingly intractable.

As Jaenyx and Visenya went through the other dispatches from the riverlands, Aegon and Rhaenys continuing their managing of Dragonstone's affairs with their father, they heard a door knock. "Come in," their father ordered. But instead of a regular servant, it was Ragaemor Tarareon, and he looked pale.

"_What is it, Ragaemor_?" Jaenyx stood up, concerned. He held up a scroll, which Jaenyx took from his hand.

"_You need to read that, my lord_," Ragaemor Tarareon shakily answered.

"_What is this?_"

"_You will see, Lord Jaenyx_."

Unrolling the scroll, Jaenyx read silently and slowly through the thick text. His eyes widened in horror and his face turned to white as he understood why Ragaemor Tarareon was so pale.

"Can you read it for us, Jaenyx?" Lord Aerion asked of him.

Collecting his thoughts, Jaenyx cleared his throat before reading the scroll aloud:

"**Oh children of the Seven, although you have promised more firmly than ever to keep the peace among yourselves and to preserve the rights of the gods, there is an important work for you all to do. Freshly quickened by the divine correction, you must apply the strength of your righteousness to another matter which concerns you as well as the gods. For your brethren who live in the riverlands and the stormlands are in urgent need of your help, and you must hasten to give them the aid which has often been promised them. For, as the most of you have heard, the incestuous Valyrians have attacked them and have conquered territory as far east as the Tumblestone and as far south as the Red Mountains. They have occupied more and more of the lands of our brothers and sisters, and have overcome them in many battles. They have killed and captured many, and have destroyed the septs and devastated their lands. If you permit them to continue thus with impunity, the faithful will be much more widely attacked by them. On this account I, or rather the Father, beseech you as the Seven's heralds to publish this everywhere and to persuade all people of whatever rank, foot-soldiers and knights, poor and rich, to carry aid promptly to the Faithful and to destroy that vile race from the lands of our friends. I say this to those who are present, it meant also for those who are absent. Moreover, the Warrior commands it. 'All who die by the way, whether by land or by sea, or in battle against the pagans, shall have immediate remission of their sins. This I grant them through the power of the gods with which I am invested. Oh, what a disgrace if such a despised and base race, which worships demons, should conquer a people which has the Faith of the Mother and is made glorious with the name of the Father and the rest of the Seven! With what reproaches will the gods overwhelm us if you do not aid those who, with us, profess the Faith! Let those who have been accustomed unjustly to wage private warfare against the faithful now go against the infidels and end with victory this war which should have been begun long ago. Let those who for a long time, have been robbers, now become knights. Let those who have been fighting against their brothers and relatives now fight in a proper way against the barbarians. Let those who have been serving as mercenaries for small pay now obtain the eternal reward. Let those who have been wearing themselves out in both body and soul now work for a double honor. Behold! On this side will be the sorrowful and poor, on that, the rich. On this side, the enemies of the gods, on that, their friends. Let those who go not put off the journey, but rent their lands and collect money for their expenses. And as soon as summer is over and winter comes, let them eagerly set out on the way with the gods as their guides. Decreed by His High Holiness the High Septon, from the Starry Sept in Oldtown. May the gods reign and the Warrior grant victory.**"

Everyone's eyes widened as Jaenyx passed them the scroll for each of them to read. The implications of such a message was not lost on all. The High Septon was referring to their family was the enemy and was calling on all of those following the Faith to basically wage war on them for being Valyrian. Westeros had deemed all of their practices and culture as abominations, and now they had an excuse to openly fight them since their holy leader gave his blessing. Jaenyx sunk into his chair, going through the many possibilities of the coming conflict. What was for sure was that the odds were not good, as even with their dragons, the majority of the people under them were followers of the Faith and there will be divided loyalties among the lands they controlled. _My gods…_ he merely thought.

Rhaenys put her hand on her mouth, terror growing in her eyes. "No…"

Aegon shook his head. "Holy fuck…"

Visenya tightened her jaw, steeling herself for the thoughts that came after reading the Faith's declaration of war more closely. "Oh, my gods…"

Their father, Lord Aerion, was just silent. He had only practiced the Faith out of practicality, but him not going to the sept and being open in his worship of Valyria's gods had consequences.

Jaenyx looked at Ragaemor Tarareon, who was still standing there. "_How many men could we muster_?"

"_Four thousand, my lord_," Ragaemor Tarareon replied. "_And we could raise more with the Blackwoods and the stormlords after Lord Orys gives the command_."

Jaenyx nodded. "_Get a message to Raventree Hall. No doubt Lord Blackwood has also heard about this. Tell him to assemble his men and to have Chrass Rivers sent to Dragonstone._" Ragaemor Tarareon bowed before leaving the solar.

"What are you doing, Jae?" Aegon asked, coming out of his shock.

"Whatever happens, Egg, we need to be ready to fight. We've got a long struggle ahead of us."

"But why would they do this? We've never done anything bad to the Faith!" Rhaenys cried out.

"That depends on perspective, Rhae, but it doesn't matter now. Right now, they see us as curses and there will be bloodshed. That, I can guarantee you."

"What is your plan then?" Lord Aerion asked.

"_First, we need to get our loyal lords assembled and ready to fight, and then secure the lands of those newly loyal to us. After that, we will respond actively against the threat_."

"But aren't we moving too fast, Jae?" Aegon stepped in. "We need time. We need to find out who besides the Velaryons, the Celtigars, your houses, the Blackwoods, and among the stormlord houses will stand with us."

"Egg, we don't have the luxury of time now!" Jaenyx almost shouted. "If we're not ready to meet the threat, we're finished."

Just then, a servant burst in the room. Normally, she would have been punished for such rudeness. But the situation made decorum the least priority.

"What is it?" Lord Aerion asked the servant girl.

"My lord," the servant started but was almost out of breath. "There's news from Sweetport Sound. Lord Sunglass has declared himself no longer under your house and has risen up in rebellion."

More shock filled the solar, but was quickly replaced with rage. Aegon, Visenya, Aerion, and even Rhaenys had the dragonfire emerge from their eyes, while Jaenyx grinded his teeth. "_Knew they would do something as foolish as this_," Jaenyx remarked, having nothing but bad opinions on House Sunglass, more so after their previous lord publicly refused to help his liege.

Aegon rose up from his seat. "I'm going to Sweetport Sound, and I'm torching it with dragonfire."

"You won't be alone, Egg," Visenya also stood up. "We should have wiped them out a long time ago."

Rhaenys straightened herself, while Jaenyx nodded. "We're with you, Egg."

Moments later, the four dragons lifted off from the courtyard of Dragonstone towards Sweetport Sound. The night was filled with screaming, smoke, and flames that burned until the stone of House Sunglass melted. But Jaenyx knew, _It_ _has only just begun._

**That declaration was based on Pope Urban II's declaration for the First Crusade. Our dragons being Valyrians was always going to be a problem in this story and now, they have to fight for their survival. **

**Following some readers' suggestions, I am really working on humanizing Orys Baratheon. He started out as a carbon copy of Robert Baratheon, but that was before he was thrust into a role that he was not fully prepared for and his reasons in regards to not bedding Argella on their wedding night represents him maturing into a better person. I seem as a likable version of Stannis Baratheon (thanks for that, Longclaw). **

**On the more important point of this chapter, Jaenyx was not unaffected by Orys' words. After all, Valyria is gone and what it means to be a Valyrian is different in the new world. This is a moment where like Orys, he will mature but he will remain true to his Valyrian roots. The declaration from the High Septon will see him cling onto it more tightly, but he will see that he must adapt. **

**I hope Visenya's name-day celebrations and the dragon flight was satisfactory. The song is RADWIMPS "Is There Still Anything that Love Can Do?" **

**Next, we have the rest of the family reeling from the burning of the Sunglass' while we will see the return of someone familiar. **


	26. Aegon VI

**Now, I've read some of the reviews and my first reaction was that I did something right. OCs in fics can be very difficult for readers to connect with. And the fact that some of my readers were concerned that Jaenyx had become a weak character means that I succeeded in making my readers invested in him. So, yay! I did it right..**

**That being said, I am also getting the impression that the same readers who are concerned with Jaenyx being a weak character want Jaenyx to be like every other OC in the fic world: stepping over the main characters, being overpowered in the story universe, knowing everything bad that will happen since the author has the benefit of hindsight, etc. That is such a boring and simple course to take with an OC and removes a lot of opportunities for not only character development for the OC, but also the canon characters. One of the main reasons I embarked on this story was because I wanted to explore the humanity of legendary characters like Aegon Targaryen, his sisters Rhaenys and Visenya, and Orys Baratheon because ASOIAF history made them too idealistic. Making my OC an OP type defeats that purpose. Also, the reviewers who want Jaenyx to be an OP character miss an important aspect of his development. He had no family prior to arriving at Dragonstone, but the time spent with the Targaryens allowed him to see them as the family he lost. Besides having a loving marriage with Visenya, Aegon became his brother, Rhaenys became his sister, Aerion his father, and Valaena Targaryen his mother. Things will become at least tolerable with Orys, since he does have Targaryen blood after all. So, to all the reviewers that want an OC that walks over the Targaryens, this is not the story for you and I wish you the best. But all I ask for those who do decide to stick with me is to have patience, as we will see Jaenyx and Visenya carve out a realm of their own. **

**And for the people who don't like that I use Japanese or foreign languages, that's a creative decision on my part and I believe that it will add some extra layers to the story. If you don't like it, so be it. But that is my decision. **

**Here is the story. **

AEGON VI

Aegon was seated at the lord's chair back at their citadel on the mouth of the Blackwater Rush, with Jaenyx on his left side, Visenya next to him, and Rhaenys on his right. All of the lords sworn to Dragonstone had assembled at the citadel, with some of the lords speaking for others who were unable to come. Daemon Velaryon, Crispian Celtigar, Ragaemor and Maerys Tarareon, Aevor Rahitheon, and Taygor Leniar represented the Valyrian contingent. Representing the lords of the Blackwater Bay were Jon Rosby, Alyn Stokeworth, and Triston Massey. Representing the riverlords were Colren Blackwood and his trueborn son and heir Malcolm, Edmyn Tully and his nephew Broden, and Lord Mallister of Seagard. Representing the stormlords besides Orys and Argella as Lord and Lady Paramount were marcher lords such as Lord Dondarrion of Blackhaven and Lord Caron of Nightsong alongside Lord Tarth, Lord Estermont, and Lord Penrose. Aegon was relieved that the strength of the marcher lords remained intact, for they would be very useful in the coming fights ahead.

Like the last time, Aegon took over for their father Lord Aerion in times of battle. However, he could not hope to run a successful campaign without Rhaenys, Visenya, Jaenyx, and Orys, so they all held equal authority when it came to resolving crises such as the Faith's call for a holy war against the Valyrians. _Looks like I've wasted my years in the sept_.

After the burning of Sweetport Sound for House Sunglass' rebellion, Jaenyx recommended that the few survivors be executed as an example. Lord Aerion agreed, before he also attainted the properties of House Sunglass and declared them extinct. Fortunately, the Sunglass rebellion was the only one in the Blackwater Bay and their burning cowed any other like-minded lords in line.

But that was not the only worry that was on all of their minds. From Tarareon and Blackwood patrols came reports of forces from the west and from the Reach marching on their territories. Jaenyx then revealed through his network of scouts and agents that Loren Lannister, King of the Rock, had just passed through the Golden Tooth along with forty thousand troops, with Pinkmaiden and the Tumblestone being prime targets. Among the banners seen were the houses of Crakehall, Marbrand, Lefford, Westerling, and Reyne. Jaenyx had already ordered the Pipers, the Brackens, and the Darrys to assemble their troops and attempt to hold the line against the army of Loren Lannister, but they only had twelve thousand troops and they would need more reinforcements.

Rhaenys had personally ridden on Meraxes as she observed the regions bordering the Reach. From what she saw, the Reach's marcher lords, House Tarly and House Peake, had mustered their troops and were moving through the Red Mountains towards the marcher regions in the stormlands. That alarmed especially Lord Caron and Lord Dondarrion, whose keeps were closer to the Reach than that of the other stormlords. And even though the marcher lords from both the stormlands and the Reach fought against the Dornish for centuries, they hated each other across the Red Mountains and clashes between especially the Tarlys and the Carons were common.

But more seriously, Jaenyx also told everyone present, "The High Septon has declared a holy war on the Valyrians, a people that all of your overlords belong to, and a good number of those present at the moment follow the Faith. I must ask all of you on where your loyalties lie: with us or with your religion?"

Aegon, Rhaenys, and Orys looked at him like he was insane. _What the hell are you doing, Jae_? While he can knew Jaenyx was right to ask that, to ask that question in front of the present lords was not wise. _You're openly questioning their loyalty, and anyone present will be angered at that inquiry._

"You think us oathbreakers, Lord Belaerys?" Jon Rosby asked, with narrowed eyes.

"I'm not going to assume that all of you present are overly pious, as we can all agree that religion is too often clouded in political ambitions," Jaenyx said, which many nodded their agreement. "But King Loren Lannister has answered the High Septon's call is marching his troops past the Golden Tooth into the riverlands. And it seems that at least the Tarlys and the Peakes have also answered the call to arms and is marching across the Red Mountains in the stormlands, which means that the hosts of the Gardeners cannot be far behind. However, while we're dealing with the threats coming from the west and from the south, we already had a rebellion break out within our lands of control. Who's to say that the Sunglass rebellion will be the last? So I ask again to all of you: is your loyalties with us, or with your religion?"

There was silence in the room, as the assembled lords merely looked upon Aegon and the rest. The Faith had a major influence on Westeros south of the Neck and no matter what lands you held dominion over, everyone worshipped the Seven and everyone paid their dues to the Starry Sept. But in times such as this, there could be no divided loyalties. They either fought together, or they died separately. There was no questioning the loyalty of the Velaryons, Celtigars, Tarareons, Rahitheons, and Leniars, as they were all Valyrians and thus had to fight. Lord Blackwood followed the Old Gods and was the first to rise in support for them, so they were very favored. Lord Dondarrion might have put in a lot of effort to get himself and his house in the good graces of Dragonstone, but the rest admittedly had to be suspect.

Unexpectedly, Lord Mallister spoke first. "My people have suffered the indignity of being enslaved by the ironborn. The memories of Black Harren pillaging my ancestral lands and abusing my people are still fresh and I myself was not spared from his mistreatment." He rolled up his sleeve to reveal a long burn mark on his arm, which Aegon judged to be from being branded. "His son put this mark on me because he felt like it, but I couldn't do anything. Only by siding with House Targaryen and House Belaerys was I able to free my house from the ironborn, so I will only be damning myself and my house if I were to betray the very people who gave us freedom."

Aegon nodded. "Thank you, Lord Mallister."

Alyn Stokeworth spoke next. "All of us present have heard of and witnessed the prowess of the dragons both in the air and on the land. They could have just flown to my family keep and burned us, but they showed mercy and allowed myself, my house, and my good friend Jon Rosby to keep our lands. Your family, Lord Aegon, and your good-brother, Lord Jaenyx, have shown yourselves to be above those who would simply use force to impose their will."

Aegon nodded his thanks, before Lord Caron spoke. "It has only been six months since your house have taken over the Storm kingdom and killed King Argilac in battle. And I must be frank that my house, and I believe that I speak for the rest of the stormlords assembled here, still holds some resentment over you killing our king, even though your actions were justified from an objective perspective." The other stormlords nodded their agreement while retaining their frowns. "However, we have long struggled against the Dornish and especially against the Gardener kings and to have them move against us right now in this manner shows that our survival is at risk. Besides the peace terms imposed by your families, you have not mistreated us or abused Lady Argella. We either stand with you, or we will suffer at the hands of our enemies."

Aegon sighed, but let out a small smile. Besides their martial prowess, the marcher lords were reputed in not wasting their time with pleasantries and such was appreciated in a crisis like this. "Thank you, Lord Caron. I shall hope that your frankness will be put to continual use in the future."

Slowly, but steadily, all of the lords assembled expressed their affirmation in their loyalty to Dragonstone and House Belaerys. However, Aegon noticed that Edmyn Tully took a moment before he also declared his loyalty. The Tullys were among the more pious of the riverlords and despite having a godswood at Riverrun, they were fully committed to the sept. Lord Edmyn also protested the decision to stop all payment of the tithes to the Starry Sept and Jaenyx refusing his request didn't help matters, as the two were never on good terms from the moment they met at the Stoney Sept.

The rest of the day was spent strategizing what to do with the advances of Loren Lannister and the Tarlys and Peakes. Besides Jaenyx sending the twelve thousand troops of Houses Bracken, Piper, and Darry to delay the forces of the Rock, Orys recommended that the stormlords return immediately to their keeps to assemble their troops. Despite the battles of six moons ago, the stormlords could still assemble over twenty-five thousand troops and much of the strength of the marcher lords had remained intact. Lord Caron and Lord Dondarrion were given leave to return to their keeps and fortify their lands to stem the advance from the Reach, only for Jaenyx to recommend to them that they instead advance deeper into the Red Mountains and cut all possible routes into the stormlands. They can use their bowmen to pick off the Tarlys and Peakes at their leisure. Lords Caron and Dondarrion nodded their approval before departing the citadel. Orys, Argella, and the other stormlords followed soon after, no doubt to muster their banners at Storm's End before moving into the Dornish Marches.

As for the riverlords that came, Jaenyx predicted that the focus of the fighting would be in the riverlands, as the region had no significant natural barriers and was easily accessible from the west and from the south. He recommended that a majority of their banners should be utilized to secure both the riverlands from external advances and from potential internal rebellions. There was no doubt that some of the pious riverlords save for the Tullys would use the coming call to arms to rise up against Dragonstone.

"Are you sure it was wise to have Lord Bracken sent against Loren Lannister?" Lord Blackwood asked Jaenyx. "He's a follower of the Faith and he was not shy in expressing his discontent in your family's favoring my house for supporting you first."

"I understand that your house has had long-standing rivalries with the Brackens for centuries," Jaenyx answered. "While such a situation would be disadvantageous for rulers in regards to maintaining unity in the ranks, I have my reasons for having the Brackens lead their troops against Loren Lannister."

"What reason would that be?" Colren Blackwood questioned. Aegon was also curious, as was Rhaenys. However, Visenya handed Jaenyx an opened dispatch.

"This," Jaenyx held up the letter before reading it. "Was written in the hand of Lord Bracken, whose raven was intercepted by my agents in Stone Hedge. 'To His High Holiness in the Starry Sept, I am pleased with your response to my previous letter that addresses all of my grievances with my current liege. I shall look forward to a productive and active response on the part of the Starry Sept to restore the preeminence of the Faith back to this fallen region and that I receive compensation from my rivals. Signed, Prestan of House Bracken, Lord of Stone Hedge.'"

Unsurprisingly, Lord Blackwood was the first to respond with outrage. "Those fucking horse-breeders! I should've known they would do something like this!"

"I understand your position, my lord," Jaenyx put the letter down on the table. "And while this letter is evidence of Lord Bracken's fickleness, evidence sometimes does not corroborate with action. My decision to have Lord Bracken lead all of his troops against Loren Lannister was to see if he could remain trustworthy. If he exerts himself against the forces of the Rock, then I shall burn this letter and deem the matter as a simple instance of grumbling."

"And what if he doesn't?" Lord Blackwood pointedly asked.

"Should he act contrary to my orders along with Lords Piper and Darry, I trust that the soldiers of Raventree Hall can make short work of their lands in response. After all, they've been emptied of their armed strength as per my directive."

Lord Blackwood smiled, seeing what Jaenyx meant. "And would I be alone if the Brackens act against your orders?"

Jaenyx shook his head. "No. I'll have Lord Tarareon and Lord Rahitheon join you. We need all the men we can muster in the upcoming battles."

Lord Blackwood and his heir went over the final details and sent out messages to their troops at Raventree Hall before departing back to their lands. More particulars were discussed with Lords Mallister and Tully before they too departed the citadel to return to their keeps.

That left the Valyrians in the room, those sworn to Dragonstone and those following Jaenyx.

"_I must ask this of Lord Aegon and Lady Rhaenys_," Rhaedar Tarareon started. "_What is our due_?"

"I beg your pardon?" Aegon blinked, confused.

"_We've served our lord, Jaenyx of House Belaerys, for over six years now, and we fully trust in his wife Lady Visenya Targaryen Belaerys. We trusted his decision to come to Dragonstone and we trusted him when he decided to go to war against the ironborn and the Arrogant king to avenge our people. But I must issue that my protest that my Lord Jaenyx is still not in control of any lands, also us at the very least._"

Aegon leaned forward from his chair. "As I understand, Lord Rhaedar, you already have lands on Dragonstone_-_"

"_But those are your lands, not ours!_" Aevor Rahitheon spat. "_Your family is the Lord of Dragonstone. And even though our lord is a dragonrider, he still doesn't have lands of his own. You didn't give him any lands in the riverlands, even though he was very important in killing Black Harren. You didn't give him any lands in the stormlands, even though he was important there. What's a lord in any sense if he doesn't have lands!_"

"_Aevor_," Jaenyx joined in. "_I'm not here to pillage. I only did what I did because it was necessary. Your nephews were kidnapped, with one assaulted and one murdered, and I was merely fulfilling the obligations of a lord protecting his people. And if you haven't noticed, we didn't bend the knee to Dragonstone, so we're equal to them_."

"_That's not enough, my lord!_" Maerys Tarareon shouted. "_You're asking us to go to war again and you have no lands or significant titles to your name. Don't misinterpret us, Lord Jaenyx. You've shared in our hardships at the Basilisk Isles and we've all seen how you picked yourself up when your brother and parents died. Any leader who can do that will have our loyalties until our dying days_." Jaenyx's vassals shouted their agreements. "_But it seems as if you're forgetting that a lord must have possessions. We're not in the Basilisk Isles anymore, so you have to be the lord of something_."

"If I may, Lady Maerys," Rhaenys said. "If Jaenyx had asked for his own lands, we would have gladly-"

"_I wasn't talking to you, Lady Rhaenys_," Maerys interrupted. However, she, and Aegon, did not expect Jaenyx to grab his wine goblet, throw it on the ground, and smashing it to pieces. The glass shattering was loud enough to silence everyone in the room.

"_We have history, Maerys, and your loyalty and honesty are always valued. But I will not tolerate you treating my sister with disrespect. You hear me?!_" That prompted Maerys to be quiet.

"_Sister?_" Aevor Rahitheon exclaimed. "_She's your good-sister, and she's only related to you by marriage. Is that why you would not ask anything of them and become a joke of a lord_?"

"_Aevor, you are out of line_!" Visenya snapped. "_How dare you speak to your lord that way_!"

"_What do you mean a joke_?" Jaenyx narrowed his eyes.

"_Oh, you don't know? Right, allow me to elaborate for you, Lord Jaenyx. We're stuck on Dragonstone still farming half of the island and enriching your good-family while the very people we've been fighting were allowed to keep their lands and titles. We're the reason that your good-family the Targaryens were able to become more than lords of the Blackwater Bay. But now you treat them as family and I can only see that your title of lord is a mere formality. We're Valyrians and we've exerted a lot of effort in fighting already, but we have not received our dues. We don't have any lands and the only other place where we could have made more permanent communities was given to your good-father's bastard son. And in case you forgot, House Belaerys was one of the seven great dragonlord families in Valyria while the Targaryens were nothing compared to them!_"

Aegon clenched his teeth, angered that someone had the nerve to besmirch his family name in his presence. He turned to see dragonfire forming behind Rhaenys' eyes, and the same was said of Visenya. Even though she was the Lady of House Belaerys, she never forgot where she came from.

"There were practical considerations, Lord Aevor," Daemon Velaryon responded while ignoring that Aevor insulted his cousins' family. "We're Valyrians, but we're too few in number and we're surrounded by those who have hostile intentions towards us. The lords who surrendered were allowed to keep their lands and titles because that would make them more loyal towards us. If we didn't do that, our new position in Westeros would've been more precarious."

"_You've got dragons!_" Aevor threw his hands up in frustration. "_You can burn your enemies and no one will ever think to mess with you again. And your considering practicalities didn't exactly prevent us from being in this position now!_"

"It's not that simple, Lord Aevor!" Daemon shouted. "Dragons can do many things, but being political is not one of them."

"_You're in no position to say that. You've got lands of your own, and so the Celtigars. What about us? In any case, we've done more to elevate your lord's family than even you._"

"Lord Aevor, that's quite enough." This was getting too much for Aegon to handle, and he was struggling to keep the dragon temper from bursting.

"_You don't give orders to me, Lord Aegon. And you certainly didn't lose a nephew from fighting these Westerosi maggots! So what do you know?_"

Before Aegon could respond, Jaenyx walked to Aevor and slapped him so hard in the face that he almost fell to the floor from the force.

"_Whatever grievances you have, you direct them to me. But I will not tolerate anyone in this room insulting my brother. Are we clear?"_ His vassals muttered their affirmation, which didn't satisfy Jaenyx. "_I said, are we clear?!_" They were louder, but they were also put back in line. "_Now, I appreciate all of you trying to have me attain lands of my own, and all of you bring up a good point. A lord must not remain landless. However, I will not use my family's past status or what I have now to assert myself against my family, because that is what the Targaryens are now. And if you want lands, all right. But all I ask is that you put your energies to fighting the threats we have now. Too often have rulers been undermined by petty squabbles and I will not have that now! And Aevor, you've got your vengeance on the Arrogant king when he was killed, but if you want more, we can discuss the particulars in private. Is that acceptable_?" Aevor Rahitheon nodded begrudgingly while still rubbing his cheek.

The Tarareons got out of the room first, followed by the Rahitheons, the Leniars, the Celtigars, and the Velaryons. They had their orders to muster at Harrenhal before moving to reinforce either the Brackens or the Blackwoods. If the Brackens turned coat, then they would assist the Blackwoods in taking control of the lands around Stone Hedge. Aegon hoped that the Brackens didn't do that, as he knew how ruthless Jaenyx and the others would be, but he also saw it as necessary as betrayal did not go unpunished.

That left Aegon, Rhaenys, Visenya, and Jaenyx in the room. "Is it true, Jaenyx? You see us as family?" Aegon asked.

"Of course I do, Egg," Jaenyx replied nonchalantly. "You're my good-brother and Rhae is my good-sister-"

"No, no, no," Aegon stopped him. "I mean, do you see us as family, truly?"

"Ah," Jaenyx nodded, understanding. "_Kessa. Truly_."

"Why?" Aegon had to know. It was true that Jaenyx, despite coming from better dragonlord stock, had treated him and the others with a lot of love and respect. While he was acting as a good-brother should, he deferred too easily and too often to himself and their father despite being equals.

"_First time I met you all on Dragonstone, I didn't really think much of you since you were too acclimatized to the ways of Westeros despite being dragonlords and having the blood of Valyria within you. And believe it or not, my gifts to you all when I married Vis was just me fulfilling my promise to treating all of you with respect and love. Just an obligation. But over the past year that I stayed here, I felt something that I did not feel for a long time._"

"And what would that be, Jae?" As much as they were close, Rhaenys was also curious as to why Jaenyx would not be so imposing on their family given his ancestry from the Belaerys Lords.

"_Do you really need to ask that question, Rhae_?" Jaenyx raised an eyebrow, but he looked a little hurt, which Aegon did not expect. "_My brother is dead. My father is dead. And my mother is dead. I didn't have a family before coming here and you have no idea how lonely… I was for so long_." Aegon saw tears forming in his eyes and heard how he paused compared to before. "_Being alone and without the people you love can make you feel dead on the inside while you're still walking, and that's the worst feeling in the world. But Egg became the brother that I had lost and you, Rhae, you know how I see you._" Rhaenys nodded and smiled, her heart warmed at Jaenyx reaffirming their bond as brother and sister. "_It might not seem like it, but Lord Aerion has become a father to me and I was always taught to respect my elders. And your mother finally treated me well, and that's something I will never forget. So, do you really think that I am going to just make demands of the people who became my family?_"

Aegon could feel nothing but warmth for Jaenyx at that moment. While he also saw Jaenyx as a brother, to hear him actually say that caused joy in his heart. Standing up from his chair, he walked to Jaenyx and gave him a hug, which Jaenyx returned. Rhaenys and Visenya joined them, all embracing each other as the family they had become. _If only Orys was here…_

They spent the next few moments in each other's arms before they had to separate. Visenya held onto Jaenyx's arm while giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, Jae. It means very much to us," Aegon smiled warmly.

"_You don't have to say thanks,_" Jaenyx replied.

"Would it be too much to ask if you would embrace Orys that way?" Rhaenys asked.

Jaenyx hesitated, but gave Rhaenys a soft gaze. "Not now, but maybe. But Egg, you heard all of them. I might be able to keep them following me because we went through the same hardships together, but I can't stop their dissatisfaction for long. We at least have to give them something."

"I agree," Aegon responded. "How about we give them the Sweetport Sound and the woods around the Wendwater?"

"That can work," Jaenyx bobbed his head. "But I'll tell them that they will only enjoy those lands after they help us win."

Before they left, Visenya spoke up. "And don't forget Jaenyx. He needs land also."

Quickly thinking, Aegon returned to the map. "Jae, as much as I didn't like how your vassals addressed me and our family, they are right in that a lord must have a keep and lands of his own. You can't just live on Dragonstone forever. These marks," he traced his fingers along the black X's in the riverlands, the stormlands, and the lands around the Blackwater Bay. "Represent keeps that were relieved from their previous lords. Take your pick and it's yours."

Jaenyx stared at the map, pondering very deeply on where House Belaerys could take new root. After a moment, he looked at an X near the Wyl. "_What's this one_?"

Aegon looked at the X, surprised that he would be interested in that location. "That's Vulture's Roost, but it's been abandoned for decades and it's deep within the Red Mountains. There's nothing valuable there."

"_I have to disagree with you there, Egg. From what I see, this keep is near the source of the Wyl. I won't have to worry about the water supply and the location is easily defensible after some modifications." _

"Also," Aegon continued. "That's right on the border with Dorne. That particular area has seen much fighting between the Dornish and the marcher lords from both the stormlands and the Reach and House Wyl is seated at the mouth of the Wyl, who will not take too kindly with a newcomer controlling their water supply."

"_Leave the worrying to me, Egg_," Jaenyx simply replied. "_And just because a ruined castle is worthless now doesn't mean that it will continue that way in the future. With some construction and expansion, that castle can become quite formidable and befitting of dragonlords_."

"But why that particular location?" Rhaenys asked.

Jaenyx smiled. "_While we're fighting those of the Faith, I figured it might be time to get acquainted with the descendants of the Rhoynish. After all, the progeny of Princess Nymeria might not respond well to the remnants of Valyria fighting throughout Westeros and being a potential threat_."

Aegon was not convinced of the Dornish thinking that way. "How do you know that?"

"_Just a feeling_," Jaenyx shrugged. "_But Egg, I have to ask you._"

"Anything."

"_What are we, Egg?_"

"_What do you mean_?"

"_We control two kingdoms and the entirety of the Blackwater Bay. We're probably the most powerful lords in all of Westeros right now, and we killed two kings to accomplish that. What are we?_"

Aegon was stumped. No one had ever asked that question before and it never entered his mind. But Jaenyx just pointed to a relevant issue. The riverlands were under their control, the stormlands were under their control, the Blackwater Bay. Jaenyx was supervising the riverlands while Orys was Lord Paramount, but their family was still Lord of Dragonstone. They were still simple lords, but commanded more territory than was traditionally held by someone in their station. Such a situation would have been impossible to manage had it not been for their dragons, but their resources were close to being overextended and there was only so much that they could with their current title.

"Our father is still the Lord of Dragonstone and you will be the Lord of Vulture's Roost," Aegon simply answered.

"_True_," Jaenyx swayed his head to and fro. "_But maybe it's time to start we start thinking bigger._"

"_What are you suggesting_?" Rhaenys asked.

"_Just a thought, but it'll be much more difficult for us in the future to prevent what happened here in this room if we remained simple lords. We need something more powerful in order to retain what we have_," Jaenyx finished before leaving with Visenya at his side.

Aegon took Rhaenys to their chamber, where she surprised him with a tight hug.

"Um, okay," Aegon awkwardly returned the hug. "What's this for?"

"I'm just happy right now, because of Jae," Rhaenys spoke while still buried in his chest.

"Because he said that we were his family in front of his lords?" Aegon ran his hands across her supple back.

"Mmmhmm," Rhaenys answered. "He could have been just another entitled lord when he arrived at our shores and tried to impose his will on us, but he proved better than that. Well, besides the dowry. He became a brother to us and became another son to our father and mother. He brought nothing but joy for over a year now."

Aegon smiled, touched at how Jaenyx defended them in front of his vassals. The memory of his wedding with Visenya, where he was gifted Flame Screecher, still ran fresh in his mind, but what was more surprising was that Jaenyx merely saw that gift as an obligation. He had over a year to see how Jaenyx would act without having to fulfill commitments and only now did Aegon see that his good-brother acted the way he did was because he saw them as his family. Aegon was thankful that he never had to experience the loss Jaenyx felt, but he was also grateful that such hardships made him be close to their family on Dragonstone. _Jae really is a blessing_.

While Aegon continued to feel Rhaenys' back with his roaming hands, he felt a strong jerk around his waist as he felt her fingers undo his breeches and push down to the ground. Pulling back from their embrace, he saw her look at him with a fire he never seen before. "What's going on, Rhae?" She didn't respond as she reached up to his lips and kissed them before kneeling them and taking his tip into her mouth.

Aegon sucked in a breath as waves of pleasure flowed through his body at Rhaenys' tongue. There were no words said as he enjoyed his wife pleasuring him. But this time, Aegon closed his eyes as he felt something that had never happened before in their previous coupling. While his core would warm whenever they bedded each other, he felt an inferno bursting on the inside. The desire for his wife had never been as strong as it was now and while he couldn't understand why, he let his instincts take over so that he could enjoy this moment.

Eventually, Rhaenys took his length so deep into her mouth that Aegon felt himself shatter into her. Still in a trance, he saw Rhaenys stand back up before wrapping her arms around his neck and bringing him into another kiss. However, he decided to take control and broke off their kiss to turn her around. Untying the laces of her red and black gown, he yanked it so hard that he could hear a few tears as her arms were forced out of its sleeves and the fabric pooled around her ankles.

"Egg! Be careful with my dresses," Rhaenys whined. "Vis might not mind when Jae does that to her, but I do when you do that to me."

"Sorry, Rhae," Aegon apologized before slowly turning her around. Rhaenys gasped as he kissed across her collarbone. He continued onto her left breast and sucked on her tit, which caused Rhaenys to let out a moan. While they would usually go to the bed, Aegon decided to try something different and guided her to the floor. They were still enjoying the summer years, but there was talk that winter was coming, so Aegon decided to enjoy the floor as it was still warm from the summer heat.

"I like this," Rhaenys managed as Aegon moved to take her other teat into his lips. "We should couple on the floor more often, Egg. Makes us… try new things more often."

"As you wish, sister," Aegon answered while mentioning that they were siblings. He figured that the dragon roared inside her as she reached down to squeeze his cheeks and pulling his face to hers. After kissing some more, he turned her over so she laid on her stomach against the floor. He traced her spine with his lips while his hands ran across the smooth skin of her sides. Her back was lined with new muscle and a few scars from her training sessions with Konno and Arata Haru. He took the time to commit them to memory.

"On your knees," Aegon commanded, voice rough but filled with desire. Rhaenys complied with his command, lifting her ass in the air and spreading her legs until her center was bared to him. She was already glistening.

"Egg…" Rhaenys whispered. Her voice was husky from lust. "Fuck me please. I need it," she begged.

Aegon grunted in delight but didn't comply immediately, his thirst for her not yet sated. He sucked on her shoulders and her neck like a man who had found an oasis in the Dornish desert. His hands held her hips in a firm grip as she squirmed under his ministrations. He brought her close to climax by sliding his index finger into her entrance while his thumb played with her clit. Before she could peak, he pulled away from her, only to slide his length into her before she could urge him on again. They joined together in one motion, her hips snapped backwards to him to the root. Her screams were loud and obscene and he wanted to hear more of them.

Aegon's hand twisted in Rhaenys' silver locks, pulling it so that her neck and back arched in response. she increased the tempo of her hips and their chamber filled with the sounds of the slaps of his hips against her ass. She was trying to loosen him first, as she knew what taking her in this way did to him. He abandoned his grip on her hair and pressed her upper body further against the floor.

Rhaenys dropped to one of her elbows, her fingers reaching behind and briefly played with his sack before they rubbed the nub above her center. He slowed his thrusts, letting her focus on both tempos. She didn't last long, crying out as she neared the edge.

Aegon took his cock out of her entrance, rolled her hips, and got Rhaenys on her back. The floor might have made their coupling a little more difficult to do, but such was the desire for each other that they ignored such a minor inconvenience. Even the bed would have done little to muffle their cries and he knew that anyone outside of their door had in all likelihood heard their screams.

Rhaenys pulled her knee up, the other leg straight, her torso twisted as she stared at him. Aegon growled at the sight of her, and the feel of her was too much. He couldn't decide where to put his hands. Her breasts looked enticing, swaying in response to their motions, but he couldn't maintain his balance if he grabbed them. Her ass looked incredible too but he settled for a slap that turned it pink. One hand gripped her hips and the other pulled on her shoulder while he re-sheathed into her entrance. He continued the fast and intense pace before he changed their positions. Her whining encouraged him onward.

"Cum in me, Egg," Rhaenys' voice was loud, breathless and wanton. Sweat made her back glisten as they both plunged over the edge.

"Fuck!" Aegon exclaimed, burying himself into her until he could feel the end of her cunt. His seed shot out with such intensity that there were black spots in his vision. Freezing momentarily from their peak, he collapsed onto her before lying next to her against the warm floor.

Both took a few moments to process their lovemaking, which was outstanding compared to the other times. Aegon could Rhaenys' shallow breathing while he felt his eyes stop blinking, his mind in a haze as the pleasure surged through him.

"How was that?" Aegon asked, getting to his senses.

"Amazing, Egg," Rhaenys answered. "That was much better than the other times, and that's saying a lot since every time felt like the first."

Aegon chuckled. "I'm glad I could still make you feel like that after over a year. But you know that I'm holding back, right?"

"Are you japing me?" Rhaenys asked in mock surprise.

"Well, kepa said that lovemaking should only get better as we age. That way, once we're old, we become incredibly powerful in our thrusts and we can… pass on while we're coupling," Aegon explained. That got him a hard slap on the shoulder from Rhaenys. "Ow."

"Can we not talk about the time we will become old, Egg?" Rhaenys groaned in slight annoyance. "That's too far into the future and I'd rather we enjoy ourselves now."

"All right," Aegon quickly agreed, their conversation touching upon a heavy subject and he wanted to not ponder on such thoughts at the moment. Getting up from the floor, he picked up Rhaenys in his arms and gently placed her on the mattress before joining her. He covered them both in the sheets before they both passed into the warm embrace of sleep.

* * *

"Hurry up. Hurry. Up. Hurry up," Arata Haru said in his heavily-accented common tongue from atop his horse while Rhaenys ran on Dragonstone's sandy shores in her loose white tunic and leather trousers. Such was a regular occurrence since six moons ago, as the Harus had Rhaenys begin with a morning run before proceeding with her archery practice. While her feet bled the first time she did, she was much more conditioned and she got firmer and muscled. The very sight of her caused Aegon's length to harden, but he willed such feelings away as he saw her approach the end of her run.

However, for some reason, Arata didn't think Rhaenys was running hard enough and had his horse gallop beside her. Compared to his father, Arata Haru was much less abusive and instead used light ridiculing to motivate her. He also took the time to learn the common tongue and never raised his voice, but his jesting was enough to rile Rhaenys into putting more effort into her training. But like Rhaenys, Aegon didn't complain since his methods were much more preferable than the hard hammering from Konno Haru.

"Huuuurrry up, don't fall back. Huuuurrry up, don't fall back. Huuuurrry up, don't fall back. Huuuurrry up, catch the pack," Arata Haru repeated from horseback while sounding a little bored. "If you're going to fall down from exhaustion, my lady, fall down on your face."

"Yes, sensei," Rhaenys breathed out.

Out of nowhere, Arata pulled out a bronze pan and started banging on it with a wooden stick while his feet were firm in the stirrups. The sounds were so sharp and loud that it rang even in Aegon's ears, who was sitting on a boulder a good distance from where they were. He just kept banging on the bronze pan, to the point where Aegon was getting very annoyed at his hammering away. But from how Rhaenys looked, Aegon could see that she was more than irritated and ran at a faster pace.

Eventually, Rhaenys reached the boulder and took a moment to catch her breath. However, Arata Haru still banged at his bronze pan as he got off of his horse. Having enough, Aegon snatched the pan and wooden stick from his hands. "That's enough, Arata."

"Ah, you don't like it, don't you?" Arata grinned. "Consider it motivation, Lord Aegon."

"Piss off," Aegon spat. However, Arata merely laughed.

"You're annoyed. That's good, because that is the same feeling your wife has and the only way for her to not have that feeling is to put in more effort."

"I'm putting in my best effort," Rhaenys protested.

"Maybe," Arata shrugged. "But that doesn't mean that I can increase the pressure on you. A fighter must never relax or settle, lest they become weak from complacency."

"You're an asshole," Rhaenys grumbled, with Aegon surprised that she used such language. However, Arata took in stride and let out another laugh.

"Come on, your ladyship. Let's move onto the bow," Arata clapped on her shoulder before moving back up to Dragonstone.

"Well, at least he does have a sense of humor, unlike his father," Rhaenys confessed. "I rather the shit from training come from him than Konno Haru."

Aegon snorted. "Who wouldn't?"

After returning to the walls of Dragonstone, Rhaenys picked up her yew bow and let loose her arrows against the target. Aegon was surprised at how much she progressed on the bow, as all of her arrows hit the black mark against the white background. How her arm muscles tightened as she drew, how she kept her legs in place as she released the arrow, how her slender fingers held tightly on the bowstring… _Why is she becoming more desirable with each passing day_?

But what drew Aegon's attention was how… focused Rhaenys was when she held her bow. She picked an arrow from the quiver, placed the arrow against the bow, drew back, released, and kept her eyes on the target until the arrow hit its mark. There was no talking, no struggling on the string, no hesitation. Just her doing the motions as if they were second nature. He had some words with Konno Haru over him making her kill a prisoner, but looking at how she conducted herself as an archer, he wondered if Haru's harsh methods had some merit.

But beside her focus while handling the bow, Rhaenys became more used to getting her hands dirty from Arata Haru taking her on daily hunting excursions that would last half a day. He would merely watch as Rhaenys stalked her prey, with Arata only giving her a few tips, and killing it with a single shot. But from what he saw, Rhaenys had become quite efficient in field dressing the prey. For example, she didn't squirm as she cut open a wild boar's torso to remove its guts and skinned it in front of the other people of the citadel. Whenever she did field-dress her prey after bringing it back to the citadel, she used a dagger finely made of Valyrian steel and with a smooth dragonbone hilt, which was given to her by Jaenyx after he had Aevor Rahitheon make it from a dragonbone from the Basilisk Isles. Then, Arata had her cook the prey's flesh and consume it, thus completing the hunting excursion.

Aegon was thankful for Rhaenys retaining her smile and brightness even after everything that had happened. Innocence was lost whenever one properly hunted down a prey and after killing a living person, but Rhaenys did not crack. In fact, he saw that she had become more durable and was less likely to hesitate whenever she needed to do what had to be done. More importantly, Aegon was there for her whenever she needed to lean on him and when she wanted to be lost in him. It was as Jaenyx said. She became stronger with Aegon by her side.

While still watching Rhaenys refine her bowmanship, Aegon heard Daemon running towards him. "Aegon!"

Aegon stood up from his stool, while Rhaenys stopped her practice and looked at their cousin. "What is it, Daemon?" Aegon asked, concern rising as he looked at his cousin's worried face.

"Message from Lord Blackwood. It's urgent."

Aegon snatched the letter from his cousin and read it, alarm filling his mind as he read it again.

"What's going on?" Rhaenys asked with concern.

"Fucking hells! The Brackens have switched sides, as did the Pipers. But the Darrys fell back without a fight, because it was their two thousand men against an army many times their size. They're advancing on Riverrun as we speak!"

Rhaenys eyes widened in alarm. She understood that if Riverrun fell, then the Red Fork would be open and thus endangering the Blackwood Vale, the one major region in the Riverlands that was loyal to their family. "What about Jae and Vis?"

"They're already taking control of the Brackens' land. There is no garrison at Stone Hedge, so it shouldn't be too difficult for them to take. However, they need all the troops available to reinforce their positions. We need to fly out as soon as possible."

Aegon dressed in his body armor and strapped Blackfyre to his left side and Flame Screecher on his back. He turned to see Rhaenys emerge from the manor house, dressed in her red and black dragon coat, her bow and quiver of arrows strapped to her back, and Valyrian steel dagger on her left side. She looked every inch the dragon archer she was destined to become, briefly mesmerizing Aegon.

"You all right, Egg?" Rhaenys asked with a grin.

"Yeah," Aegon answered before mounting on Balerion. He saw Rhaenys climb onto Meraxes, but she collapsed on the ground before she could also mount her. Sliding down from Balerion and ignoring Meraxes' whimpers of concern, he saw that her eyes were completely shut, but her body was hot as an oven.

"Rhae! Rhae!" Aegon shook her, trying to get her to her senses. He felt another presence come beside him, and saw Taygor Leniar kneeling besides Rhaenys and rubbing her forehead.

"She's having it again," Taygor stated.

"What?"

"The dragon dreams."

Rhaenys had talked about her ability to have dragon dreams like their ancestor Daenys Targaryen, and the last time she did was when she met Brandon Snow, the bastard brother of Torrhen Stark, King in the North. Aegon didn't doubt that she had dragon dreams, but it was another thing to see it up close.

"How long will this last?" Aegon demanded.

"Not sure. It depends on how long the connection will be. But whenever she's around Meraxes, it's very likely to happen."

"So, you mean to say that she can't ride without having the dreams?"

"No, she can. But dragon dreams need dragons and something reached out to her. We have to let it run its course."

Aegon continued to hold Rhaenys tight while still kneeling on the ground, but reassured that she was going to be alright. _Jae and Vis need us. What are you dreaming about now, Rhae_?

**Rhaenys is having another dragon dream! What else can be happening there? **

**I hope I covered well when Jaenyx finally declaring in public that the Targaryens are his family. And things might patch between him and Orys. To placate some of the readers, I hope you like where I decided to have him establish his keep. I figured it was time that the story start to focus on Dorne. I also hope that I showed the contrast between the hard-assery of Konno Haru and the trolling of his son Arata. That was golden when I wrote it. **

**And the Brackens have betrayed our beloved dragons. It will not end of them, and woe to those who decide to defect. **

**Next, we have Orys fighting with his stormlanders and a deeper look into his union with Argella. **


	27. Orys II

**Well, my direction for Jaenyx has met them some... mixed reception. For all those that have supported my decisions, thank you so much! For those that have voiced their dissent... thank you also! fanfiction is like democracy in a way, where people have a right to voice their opinions and as a writer, I can't shut them out without violating freedom of expression. As the writer, this is my story and I'll take it where I want it to go, but I welcome those with contrary views, as that reminds me that not everyone agrees and it is a good way to remember that life is sometimes like that. **

**But to those who believe Jaenyx is being subservient, I'll bring up an example of subservience in GOT: Reek. And I'll ask you this: is Jaenyx Reek? Food for thought. **

**Here is the chapter. **

ORYS II

Orys sat against the rocky slopes as he and five bannermen of House Caron peaked over the boulder that concealed their position in the pass. The ridge that they were all on offered an excellent position from which to observe anyone advancing through the narrow path towards Nightsong, the westernmost castle of the stormlands and smack next to the Gardener kingdom of the Reach. There were no roads that ran from one side of the Red Mountains to the other besides beaten dirt paths and the few traversable passes that the marcher lords on both sides knew about, so Orys and the Caron bannermen were surveying the most logical route into the former Storm kingdom.

Orys was thankful for Rhaenys' discovering the Tarlys and the Peakes, the Reach's marcher houses. House Tarly of Horn Hill had an especially brutal reputation, with their bowmen being able to land their arrows into the hearts of many Dornishmen at great distances and their men-at-arms displaying ruthlessness in killing off any prisoners deemed unfit for ransom or labor. They indeed were living up to their descending from Harlon the Hunter and their house's words, "First into Battle," as their eight thousand bannermen alongside the fourteen thousand troops of House Peake, another house descending from Florys the Fox and with three castles to their name, were leading the charge into the stormlands ahead of the main Gardener host. Orys only had some reports of additional Gardener troops assembling near the Red Mountains, but he knew that he and his family were facing tens of thousands more Reachmen. Numbers may not be enough to win battles, but they surely in wearing down the enemy's strength, and Orys wasn't sure how long before his own troops were exhausted despite dragons.

No matter which dirt path or pass was taken, no army could hope to penetrate the stormlands without first taking Nightsong, as all of them passed by the mountain fortress. If Nightsong fell, then the Reachmen could simply bypass Blackhaven and move further into the relatively accessible parts of the stormlands. They could not allow the Tarlys and the Peakes to besiege the castle either, as they could simply wait it out until more of the houses sworn to the Gardener king arrived and then they could seize the castle by storm. The only viable option was to establish positions a good distance away from Nightsong, where they could halt their advance into the narrow passes that led to the castle.

Orys and Lords Caron and Dondarrion had determined that the only logical route towards Nightsong ran through a small valley that broke between the highest points of the Red Mountains and contained a tributary that flowed into the Torrentine. Besides the route through the tributary being the most direct to Nightsong, the valley also represented a good place to reform the marching formations from a tiresome trek through the mountains before continuing on. Horses and pack animals could graze and water there while soldiers could get a well-needed breather before reentering combat.

There were also dangers for an army staying in that valley, as history showed. During the reign of King Argilac, Houses Swann and Selmy had encamped in that same valley while marching with their king southwards towards the Wyl. However, they spent too much time there and thus allowing the Dornishmen to surround and attack them from all sides under the cover of night. The mountains offered excellent positions for decently-skilled bowmen and no army could hope to dislodge another in an uphill battle. Anyone well-versed in war would understand the necessity of avoiding potentially enticing landscapes from which to encamp and entrench, since it was very likely that the enemy also knew the benefits and disadvantages. Like a band of hunters encamping inside a grouping of trees in the middle of a flat grassland but failing to see that another band was eyeing the same spot and would fight for control. Yet, Orys also knew that his troops had to make a stand at the valley despite the risk of the enemy knowing the valley, as the valley led into three divergent paths that all led to Nightsong.

Orys had mustered all of the troops he could obtain from the houses east of the Dornish Marches such as the Tarths, Estermonts, Bucklers, Morrigens, and Staedmons. They first assembled at Stonehelm, where he was able to get the one thousand remaining troops of House Swann after coming to an understanding with the lord. They then marched to Blackhaven and then to Nightsong, bypassing Harvest Hall along the way since he was unsure if any man of House Selmy would even join him considering that he did kill a Selmy knight, the nephew of King Argilac. To his surprise, two thousand men from Harvest Hall showed up, citing their reason being that they hated the Gardeners more than they could ever hate Orys for killing their king and his nephew. After three days at Nightsong, they marched further westward.

However, Orys wasn't blind to the reality of the situation in the army. Most of the houses save for the Dondarrions had answered his call out of hatred for the Gardeners, as they clashed with the Reach several times over the centuries and their conflicts culminated in King Argilac killing King Garse Gardener at Summerfield, and not out of loyalty to him. And he couldn't blame them. In the eyes of the stormlords, he was an upjumped bastard who only got a claim to the lordship of Storm's End after killing their king. Part of the terms of the peace stipulated Orys being sworn to his father the Lord of Dragonstone despite him being the Lord of Storm's End and Lord Paramount. This understandably caused more than a few grumblings among the stormlords, as they now had to answer to a lord of a tiny island in the middle of the Blackwater Bay despite them having dragons. His father also had him establish his own house, but history showed that at least three generations had to pass before any house could be fully cemented as ruler of their lands. It was fair to describe Orys' first six moons as Lord of Storm's End as uncertain given the recent founding of his house, the stormlords not having a high opinion of him personally, and them having to answer to what they viewed as a backwater keep.

Orys found it strange that Jaenyx didn't take Storm's End or any of the castles in the riverlands for himself despite playing a central role in subjugating both. A dragonlord more rooted in Valyria than himself or his trueborn family would have jumped at the chance of planting his or her roots into new lands, and Jaenyx just let Orys have Storm's End despite being trueborn. At first, Orys thought it might have been weakness on his part since he said nothing when his father Lord Aerion handed the stormlands and Argella's hand in marriage to him. He might have seen Jaenyx treating his trueborn family as his own and was convinced that was why he treated his father with respect, as the young always treated the elder with deference no matter where in the world and no matter the standing. It was also strange for Orys that Jaenyx, despite technically being equal to his father in regards to their stations, would allow him and Aegon to have sway in the major decisions and not seriously contest them.

In addition, Orys had heard about what happened at the citadel, with Jaenyx slapping Aevor Rahitheon before defending his siblings as his own. From what his father taught him, a lord's strength lies in the strength of his vassals, who swear allegiance in exchange for the lord protecting their interests. And the lord has to reckon with these interests if he wants to remain in control. Slapping a vassal in the face was not a way to maintain control and could signal that the lord no longer wants to protect their interests while making it so that they no longer disturb him. Normally, such a person would find themselves in a precarious position as a lord, made even more so if they also lacked a keep and lands. It could be said that had the vassals had not raised the question of Jaenyx not having his own estates, then his trueborn family would not have thought about it. And if word got out about how Aegon handled the situation, it would have been interpreted as throwing a bone to a dog. Despite being equals to House Targaryen and coming from better dragonlord stock, Jaenyx chose to have a keep right next to Dorne and not near any of the good lands already known to Westeros. Under normal circumstances, one might have seen Jaenyx as a weak man and thus not worthy of mention since he allowed others to seemingly walk all over him. Many would have also protested his decisions so far, which combined with his seemingly bad temper would undermine his credibility and thus make people question on whether he was worthy of being a lord in the first place.

However, Orys remembered that looks can be deceiving, which he had to keep in mind constantly from his first months at Storm's End whenever he met with petitioners throughout the stormlands since they all had their own agendas when meeting with him. From the few instances he did interact with Jaenyx and despite having the occasional bouts of the dragon temper, Jaenyx had a good mind for war and a better one when it came to people. He knew how to detect one's weaknesses and how to get inside one's head. It didn't take long for him to crack that boatman who was spying on Dragonstone and he didn't exert a lot of effort when he tortured that ironborn captain. He knew what vices or things would tempt a person, which allowed him to manipulate those unfortunate to enter his line of sight into getting them to do his bidding. He was evidently brave, as he was willing to venture deep inside enemy territory to gain a reading of the riverlords' situation with Black Harren without using his dragon. He was also tough, as it took a certain personality to cross thousands of miles of sea and leading thousands of people towards an island that could potentially be hostile. His clinging onto the ways of Valyria demonstrated a certain stubbornness, as he still regarded the people of Westeros with contempt. Those who would see Jaenyx as weak for his constant silence on important matters would ignore that his master, Konno Haru, was exactly like that. Just because someone was quiet doesn't mean they had nothing to say.

Jaenyx's undemonstrative demeanor made Orys… anxious many times. From what he remembered, Konno Haru was an assassin, shinobi being the exact term, meaning that in a world of cloaks and daggers, silence was the greatest weapon one had and one that Jaenyx kept close. He remembered from the last time he spoke with Haru was that he taught Jaenyx to allow those more able to take charge and to be selective in how he pushed his authority, as trying to push your will all the time was a quick way of getting too much attention and becoming a target. Him being quiet during councils and allowing Aegon to take the center despite being equal to their father did not mean he was impotent or letting others walk over him. If Aegon made a mistake in their planning or in the field, he would take the blame and Jaenyx could simply deny his involvement. Eventually, if Aegon or their father made enough mistakes, Jaenyx could swoop in and take charge by making himself the better option since he had no part in both of their blunders. Undermining potential rivals without raising a finger was something Orys was sure Jaenyx knew how to do. Besides that, Jaenyx might have known more than a dozen ways to eliminate threats either with the blade, dagger, or any of the subtle tricks taught by Konno Haru. He certainly was capable of all of that, if Orys' observations of his skill with his hand-and-half sword Seablaze and dagger, his Yi-Tish swords, and his frightening infiltration techniques at Haystack Hall said anything.

Jaenyx's seemingly detached attitude during councils might have been seen as more weakness on his part, but Orys saw his eyes during those meetings. Slightly narrowed and violet irises moving left and right, those eyes resembled that of a predator and a predator would not be able to hunt its prey if it made a lot of noise. His eyes were noticing small details, mannerisms unique to whoever he was closely observing, and catching the meaning behind certain words spoken among other things. He then remembered all of those aspects for the next time, which he would use to either bolster his position or to undermine those who he deemed as a target. Such was the case when he had Broden Tully brought before him at Harrenhal for his whoring. While the nephew of the Lord of Riverrun thought that Jaenyx had a problem against brothels, he was proved wrong when Jaenyx revealed that he knew that Broden Tully was revealing confidential information to his whores while drunk and in ecstasy. Thankfully, what Broden Tully divulged by accident was not severely damaging, but Jaenyx made it clear that he no longer trusted him with key tasks related to the administration of the riverlands and thereby had him go back to Riverrun. Jaenyx knew about Broden Tully's predilection for whoring after observing him at the Stoney Sept and therefore was able to use it against him twice, first to arrange a meeting with his lord uncle and the second to make him understand that he was removed from his confidence. Orys bet Aegon one silver piece that Jaenyx deliberately divulged that piece of information, which was a minor detail regarding taxes, to Broden Tully in order for him to mess up and have an excuse to dismiss him from his service after seeing his whoring becoming a problem.

In light of all of this, Orys knew that Jaenyx was by no means weak or ineffective. He simply wasn't as loud as others would have wanted him to be and knew that his silence was what made him unpredictable and dangerous, his mind sharpened and shaped by an assassin and making him see the world as how a spy would. He could only assume that if he knew this, then the Tarareons, Leniars, and Rahitheons had a much better understanding of his abilities and his way of thinking from their time with him. That meant that his slapping Aevor Rahitheon was not him having a temper, but could also mean that he did so because such a move was within acceptable limits of his personality and how others viewed him, thus explaining why his vassals simply took it and moved on. His choice of selecting Vulture's Roost as his own keep could only mean that he had particular designs on the place, which may have allowed him to see past the ruins and the fact that it was so close to the Dornish border, not to mention that the location of the castle ruins sat right on the source of the Wyl and would thus bring conflict with House Wyl. Such designs could only have far-reaching consequences, further than Orys' mind dared to go. He could only be thankful that Jaenyx saw his trueborn family as his own and that he really loved and respected Visenya, meaning that whatever stratagems he had in mind but kept hidden behind a meek and docile face will never be aimed at his family. Him maintaining a low profile and only stepping in when he deemed necessary was not subservience, but a clear example of an astute mind. _Glad he's on our side and not against us_.

Orys would never admit any of this to Jaenyx, especially since they did not talk since six moons ago. However, he respected his abilities and his heart could only warm at how the newcomer from over a year ago became so integrated with their family, bringing nothing but new joy and blessings upon them. He just wished that Jaenyx would not be so uncompromising and held so much contempt for anything not of Valyria, as Orys himself didn't have the traditional Valyrian traits, and wanted a chance to really talk to him. _Why did I bring his family up at that time_?

Getting back to the situation at hand, Orys knew that he had much to do if he was to gain the loyalty of the stormlords and solidify his house at Storm's End. While becoming a lord in his own right was something that he never seriously contemplated, he most certainly wasn't going to beg for the stormlords to follow him. If there was any lesson to be taken from the various histories of Westeros, it was that both lordlings and smallfolk respected leaders who personally took charge in the field. Such a truth motivated Orys to personally deal with the traditional threats of the stormlords, starting with the various corsairs from the Stepstones that had raided the southern shores of Cape Wrath and Shipbreaker's Bay for centuries in a manner akin to the ironborn. Commissioning Vaeron Rahitheon to reforge his nearly-snapped Valyrian steel axe into a warhammer, he saw himself wielding it as he would lead an expedition to raid a major corsair den and deal a blow to the Stepstones. Only problem was… he had no ships to speak of or any experience at sea. When he proposed such a venture in front of the stormlords, many were understandably skeptical, as they were not a seafaring people.

Orys consulted with Daemon Velaryon on how to build a fleet of seaworthy vessels from scratch. Daemon said that the stormlands had plenty of timber from which to construct ships and suitable locations from where to build them such as Evenfall Hall and Greenstone, but while he would be more than willing to help his cousin oversee their assembly, he couldn't spare any of his house's men as they were already stretched to their limits in their duties and there were no suitable stormanders to recruit. To rectify this problem and despite the risks it entailed, Orys approached any ironborn still imprisoned in either the riverlands or Dragonstone and made them a deal: if they constructed a fleet able to participate in sea combat and served as crewmen aboard his ships, he would grant them their freedom. Understandably, many of the stormlords protested his decision to have ironborn work on their lands, but Orys managed to placate them by saying that he didn't make them land offers, which even he knew would have been too much for his new vassals to handle. He also made a deal with Lord Swann and proposed that the majority of the ironborn coming to construct his ships could earn their right to stay in the stormlands by serving as labor and footmen in the lands around Stonehelm, thus replacing the losses in manpower House Swann incurred during the previous war. Lord Swann readily agreed, as he didn't have to wait the many years it took to repair the damage his house suffered.

It took three moons to construct of fleet of 50 seaworthy vessels, during which Orys took the time to become acquainted to warfare on the seas as best he could thanks to Daemon Velaryon. He recruited five thousand men from houses such as Estermont, Tarth, Dondarrion, and Fowler to embark on his expedition to the Stepstones, promising them a large share of the booty. He had also made it clear to the ironborn that should they have any ideas that would endanger them in the Stepstones, he would have no compunction in crushing them with his warhammer while allowing his new bannermen to release centuries of anger towards their people onto them. A normal lord would have delegate the expedition to a subordinate, but Orys was not like most lords and knew that his very survival as Lord of Storm's End depended on him taking charge against the stormlords' traditional enemies.

Not surprisingly, Orys' fleet met stiff resistance on their approach to the Stepstones, with his fifty vessels meeting sixty vessels. But the thing about corsairs was that they never fought under a single commander, with each corsair having a say in how strategy and tactics were implemented. While such an approach was rooted in pirate tradition, it was very inefficient against a unified force. Such was reflected in the pirate fleet's formation, which was loose and spread out. Meanwhile, Orys employed a crescent formation, with his flagship in the center and the heavier ships at the horns of the formation, in order to turn their flanks. Once the fleets were close enough, they exchanged missiles, ranging from flammable projectiles launched from the ship's catapults to arrows and javelins. The aim was not to sink ships, but to deplete the ranks of the opposing crews before close combat commenced, which decided the outcome of battles on the high seas. Once the enemy strength was judged to have been reduced sufficiently, the fleets closed in, the ships grappled each other, and the marines and upper deck oarsmen boarded the enemy vessel and engaged in hand-to-hand combat. All of which Orys took to heart, and the pirates employing a loose formation was what allowed his own fleet to pick each of their vessels off a few at a time.

Once his own flagship was engaged, Orys took the initiative and held his Valyrian steel warhammer up high as he jumped onto the what seemed to the corsair flagship. Fighting his way through the enemy crewmembers while crushing skulls and ribs with his warhammer, he finally confronted the corsair captain. He avoided the captain's swing with his sword before bringing his hammer down onto the blade, forcing it on the deck of the ship before it snapped in two under the hammer's weight. Before the captain could defend himself, Orys struck the captain in his jaw, undoubtedly crushing it before he fell onto the deck. Orys finished him with a strike against his skull, brains splattering and bone cracking against the wood. He then borrowed one of his men's axes to decapitate the captain and showed the rest of the corsairs what he had done, prompting them to surrender. He tasked Ser Bruze Tarth, who he retained as Storm's End master-at-arms and took with him on the expedition, with escorting the prisoners with half of his ships before moving onto the Stepstones with the other half.

Surprisingly, the stormlander fleet only encountered five hundred defenders when they landed on the biggest island of the Stepstones, but Orys still took it upon himself to lead the charge. Landing on the first boat, he defended himself with his shield from arrows let loose against him while he led over two thousand men to overwhelm the island. They made short work of the corsair remnants, but they discovered that the island was cavernous and contained more gold and valuables than they had initially believed, with items such as diamond-encrusted swords, petty crowns, bags of gold and jewels, and even a dozen emerald hourglasses. As promised, Orys allowed his men to lay claim to most of the booty found, with himself taking a set of steel horse armor along with some valuables. He and the other stormlanders returned in triumph, but Orys was not naive to believe that the stormlords were fully loyal to him yet. Lord Dondarrion told him out of goodwill, "Your expedition to the Stepstones was a success, but you merely did what was required of someone in your position. If you really want their loyalty, you'll have to do more than just lead them against our traditional enemies."

Orys took the words of the Lord of Blackhaven to heart, which motivated him to personally lead a party of men to scout ahead, observing the pass that led to the valley before Nightsong. The rest of his troops were positioned on the mountains east of the valley, but he needed them to see him showing initiative and that he was willing to put himself at great risk to defend them. _They still love Argilac and keep his memory alive in their hearts. I must follow his example by having them see that I am just as willing to share in their difficulties in battle as the Arrogant king did. _

"Milord," one of the Caron bannerman spoke. "You sure this is the pass the Tarlys and the Peakes will take towards the valley?"

Orys turned around. "This is the shortest pass that they can take in order to get to the valley. There are other passes to use, but all of them lead straight to the tributary and would take more time. The Tarlys and Peakes need to move fast to secure the route through Nightsong, as a larger Gardener host would move too slowly through the mountains if it was still not secured."

"Can we move fast enough to return to camp, milord?"

"We should," Orys nodded. "We only have light weapons with us and we had more time to get ourselves familiar with the terrain. We can make it."

As Orys turned back around to the pass, he saw a glint in the distance. Narrowing his eyes to get a clearer view, he saw banners steadily moving towards them through the pass. He made the huntsman banner of House Tarly and the three castles banner of House Peake. But what got his attention was the two other banners that were mixed with the marcher lords'. One was a red seven-pointed star against a white background, and the other was a rainbow sword against a black field. There were knights in plate armor carrying the former banner, while plainly-clothed but more numerous men held the latter. If he recounted correctly, these were the Warrior's Sons and the Poor Fellows, both belonging to the Faith Militant. They were rarely seen on the field of battle, only sent in force if the High Septon ordered it. It shouldn't have surprised Orys that they would be involved given that the High Septon did declare a holy war on the Valyrians, but he didn't expect to fight them now. _Things just got interesting_.

Orys and his Caron bannermen quickly fell back once they sighted the enemy, quickly but carefully moving down the steep and rocky slopes of their position to their horses. Once they mounted, they returned to their position with all possible haste and Orys called together his commanders to inform them of the situation. Some were hesitant in fighting against the Faith since they all spent some time in the sept, but most were eager to fight against their Tarly and Peake rivals. Rivalries across the Red Mountains never ended and the majority of the stormlords who did support battle saw this as a chance to see who were the true rulers of the Dornish Marches.

Orys' troops took up defensive positions at the pass leading to Nightsong. He had the marcher lords' infantry take the center and the troops from places such as Cape Wrath and the Wendwater take the flanks. The bannermen of Houses Tarth, Connington, and Estermont formed the reserve, as they were the most militarily-experienced houses under Orys besides the marcher lords. Missile troops such as bowmen and javelin throwers took up positions behind the infantry lines and on lower mountains, while Orys personally took charge of the cavalry. While the valley was suitable for mounted combat, he intended to save his armored horsemen and reserve infantry for a decisive blow. Once the enemy had exhausted themselves on their assault on his positions, that was when he would unleash them. He had to tread carefully, as all of the four dragons were busy elsewhere and he had to do this himself. _Might work out in the end_.

As he made sure everything was set, Orys looked to the western edge of the valley and saw the enemy emerge from the pass. The banners of Tarly, Peake, the Poor Fellows, and the Warrior's Sons flew in the wind of the Red Mountains as their enemy assumed battle formations. To Orys' surprise, the forces of the Faith Militant assumed the vanguard while the Tarlys took up positions against his right and the Peakes against his left, with footmen from both houses taking the center alongside the Warrior's Sons. But what he noticed was that instead of clear distinctions between the infantry and cavalry formations, half of the cavalry seemed attached to the right flank and the other to the left. From his lessons with Quenton Qoherys, Orys saw that the enemy was trying to make its formations more mobile and more flexible than in normal battles. Their armies were roughly equal in number, so the enemy was trying to get an advantage in mobility over Orys.

"Archers ready!" Orys ordered as he tightened his grasp on his horse's reins as the archers obeyed. His warhammer was strapped to his right side, with himself and his horse covered in the castle-forged steel armor. He was tempted to request a Valyrian steel one, but there was no time for it to be made before the battle.

Orys kept his focus on the vanguard, which was made up of the Poor Fellows with their red stars and the Warrior's Sons with the rainbow swords painted on their armor. The latter was armed as any other knight was, with a sword sheathed on their left and lance or spear in their right hand. He saw that the Poor Fellows were armed with a mixture of spears and axes, but had no armor and only wore tunics. But Orys quickly caught on what their purpose was. The Poor Fellows and the small contingent of the Warrior's Sons outnumbered both the Tarlys and the Peakes. Any sensible commander would focus on the more numerous threats by using their missiles and the energies of their troops. Once the troops were grounded down and exhausted, the other components of the enemy's army would then move in and have an easier time to fight. He would not fall to such a trick, but he had to keep his eyes open. _What are you going to do_?

Suddenly, a wave of arrows came flying towards Orys and his troops. "Shields up!" he heard someone in the center yell, with his troops able to avoid getting pierced by the arrows of the Tarlys and Peakes. Well, at least most of them. Orys himself had narrowly missed an arrow after getting off his horse, as did the rest of the cavalry. The arrows kept coming while Orys struggled to maintain his view on the field.

To his surprise, the enemy on his right was advancing quite rapidly towards his positions while the center and the ones on his left were moving slower. That's when Orys realized that the enemy's focus on the center and his left flank. But first, throngs of Poor Fellows rushed forward to his infantry.

"Volley, loose!" Orys shouted. His bowmen let loose their arrows against the charging Poor Fellows, who unsurprisingly fell by the hundreds and their flesh tearing from the broadheads that stuck into them. Javelins were also thrown, cutting down hundreds more and even piercing through a couple corpses. But Orys had to conserve his arrows, as he knew that the real threat didn't come from the Poor Fellows.

As the center closed in, Orys ordered, "Lower spears!" to the schiltrons. Before long, men of the stormlords and Reachmen engaged in fierce close combat. While the spears held the enemy back at a distance, their enemies merely pushed forward and screamed with such vigor that one might have thought all attachment to the physical world was cast aside towards a desire to kill their opponents. This was especially true of the ones that had the rainbow sword on their armors, which Orys interpreted as zealousness towards the gods. However, the schiltron held true as they held the enemy back.

However, Orys saw that the Peakes's footmen were advancing on his left flank while their cavalry was moving further left. Seeing that they were attempting to stretch his left flank thin where it would significantly weaken, Orys rearranged his left schiltrons to be more reactive to quick movements while getting his reserve infantry ready.

As his left flank finally clashed with the Peake footmen, Orys had the Selmys and Carons drop their pikes and engage with their swords and axes. While they would be engaged in close combat, Orys hoped to keep the enemy on his left flank occupied and hold them long enough for more of the enemy to come and break through the left. Meanwhile, the Peake's cavalry were close to bypassing his troops on the left flank, with mounted Warrior's Sons joining them. Recognizing the threat, he formed up his cavalry ranks and moved in front of his formation.

Orys took a moment to look upon the very men he fought against six moons ago. Mounted with him were armored knights from House Selmy, Swann, Dondarrion, Caron, Tarth, Estermont, and Mertyns' among others. He couldn't make out their expressions through their closed helms, but he could feel that they were just as eager to fight as he was. He counted on their hatred for their Reachmen rivals to carry them through the day.

"I have fought on the opposite side against you just six moons ago. While I may not seem like the best choice to be your leader, I will be damned before I see true warriors be beaten back those who are loyal to blossoms. Will we let these flower lovers beat us back today?!" To his relief, Orys heard a collective, "NO!" "Then, let's show these green men and zealots what is to really feel steel in their hearts." Closing his helm, Orys galloped forward and heard the rest of the cavalry charge after him.

Raising his Valyrian steel warhammer up high, Orys closed the distance with the first horseman before swinging it against his cuirass, easily crushing both it and his chest and causing him to fall off of his horse, dead. He struggled to maintain seated on his horse, feet dug into his stirrups and his left hand tightly clutching on the reins as he swung his hammer to and fro against various enemy horsemen. He brought his hammer down on a knight's head before using its pointed end to pierce the armor around another's neck. He narrowly avoided one's lance before grabbing onto its shaft, tugging on it, and bringing the knight close enough for him to swing to the left side of his helm.

While a portion of his cavalry remained engaged, Orys saw that the left flank was still occupied with their swords and axes in hand. Seeing another opportunity, Orys charged with another portion of his cavalry into the rear of the enemy troops attacking the left flank. He swung downwards, upwards, and side-to-side as he engaged enemy footmen on all sides of his mount. Eventually, after hard fighting, the enemy's attack on the left flank collapsed and the Peake footmen did a disorderly withdrawal back towards the western edge of the valley and the pass from where they came from.

Orys turned to see that the Peake cavalry was still holding, but he saw that the center was still engaged. Catching his breath, Orys reformed the line of the cavalry that came with him and repeated the charge into the enemy rear. The results came quicker than expected as the Poor Fellows proved their uselessness in heavy combat and retreated in a messy manner against the pressure of both Orys' center and cavalry charge at the rear, prompting the Peake and Tarly footmen that were also in the center to follow suit.

But before Orys could wheel back around to support the cavalry on his left flank, he found the Tarly cavalry charging towards him, with their remaining footmen still engaged with the right flank. He looked to the rest of the cavalry accompanying and saw that they were exhausted. However, there was no turning back and Orys had to stop the Reachmen from moving through the valley towards Nightsong. Preparing himself, Orys charged one more time and held his warhammer tight as he closed the distance and found his mark into the breastplate of a Tarly knight.

However, Orys found that at least half of the Tarly cavalry also had the rainbow sword on the cuirasses and they were swinging their swords more wildly at him. Despite the center and left flank attacks collapsing, the Warrior's Sons were living up to their name as the Faith's armed fanatics and moved forward even when battlefield conditions told them otherwise. Orys parried one Warrior's Son sword before puncturing his armor with the sharp end of his hammer. He then shattered another's blade before stunning him with a strike against his helm and swinging it to his right cheek. He also avoided a thrust of a Warrior's Son's sword before circling around and striking him in the unprotected rear part of his neck. He then saw an ornately decorated knight charging towards him, golden sash around his chest and the rainbow sword on his shield. He was yelling loudly, as if believing that the mere sound of his voice was touched by the gods and making his enemy tremble in fear of the divine justice about to strike him down. Remembering what he did outside of Bronzegate, Orys held his ground before the knight came close enough, after which he got his horse to the right of the knight, stood in his stirrups, and swung downwards with his hammer onto the top of his helm, crushing it and forcing his head deep into his armor. The blood spray and the sound of his neck being crushed under the weight made it obvious to Orys how exactly his head would be pushed into the body.

What Orys didn't expect was the Warrior's Sons retreating back into the western pass while the Tarlys, seeing that there was no hope in continuing the battle, withdrew in a more organized manner. Surveying the dead on the field, stormlanders and Reachmen lying side by side on the blood-soaked grass and the streams of blood flowing into the tributary, Orys dismounted his horse and walked towards his army.

Stopping just short of the first stormlander, Orys kept his hammer up close as he opened his helm. He looked upon the men who were hesitant to fight with him just a few days ago, but saw nothing but respect and pride in their eyes. He had demonstrated bravery in the field and tenacity in his charges against the enemy rear despite not having all of his cavalry with him. What was more, Orys had beat back the enemy without dragons, thus confirming in their eyes that the bastard of Dragonstone was fully capable as a commander and warrior all on his own, living up to the example set by King Argilac.

Orys thrusted his warhammer high in the air, prompting many cheers from the troops. Under his leadership, the stormlanders had won their first major battle in the war and they now had proof that Orys Baratheon, Lord of Storm's End and Lord Paramount of the Stormlands, was a worthy ruler to follow

* * *

Orys returned to Nightsong, but while he might have left the castle in silence, he returned to loud cheers of triumph. They had lost two thousand men and suffered three thousand wounded, but had killed five thousand of the enemy and captured three thousand. Some were members of Houses Peake and Tarly, but not high enough to obtain large ransoms. Of the Warrior's Sons and Poor Fellows captured… Orys was unsure what to do with them even though they were of the religion that was seeking his family's destruction. Instead, he had them put to work burying the dead and as labor for House Caron and Dondarrion.

Orys held a meeting in Nightsong's great hall, not as large as the one at Storm's End but large enough to accommodate his lords. They all lauded their praises on him, calling him a true lord of Storm's End and a worthy warrior to continue the line of Durran Godsgrief while bringing in new Valyrian blood. Orys humbly accepted their plaudits and proceeded to celebrate with a feast in the great hall. However, before he could enjoy the festivities, he was surprised to see Argella enter the hall. There were many murmerings from the stormlords present towards the last of Durran Godsgrief's progeny, but they all gave her the respect she deserved as their lady.

However, Orys noticed that Argella was walking with more sway to her hips and her black hair flowing down to her waist. She had a loose posture despite standing straight and was… smiling at him. The hard gaze that previously occupied her piercing blue eyes replaced with warmth. _What's going on_?

"Apologies, husband," Argella stood before Orys. "I have missed the battle."

Orys shook his head, hiding the surprise that she called him that instead of "my lord." "Not at all, dear wife," Orys simply answered. "The war has only just begun, but we're off to a great start." The stormlords shouted their agreement.

Argella smiled widely. "That's good. The blood of Durran Godsgrief must stand with her people against their enemies and I wouldn't be a good wife if I let my husband be alone in war."

Orys tried to hide his shock, though one had to look closer to see that his eyes widen. _What the hell are you doing_? "Well, I'm glad you made it, dear wife." He gestured to the seat on his right, which Argella gladly took.

Orys continued hearing the recommendations of the stormlords. Some wanted to pursue the enemy and beside the Starpike and Horn Hill, as their numbers have been depleted. Others suggested calling for reinforcements from Dragonstone and at least two dragons before they could advance further. Orys shook his head at those. "My lords, our objective was to defend Nightsong from enemy attack and we have done so. But to advance on our enemies back to their keeps so deep in the Reach is folly. We have no idea how many thousands of other Reachmen will be coming our way and we were able to win largely due to the terrain."

"But Lord Orys," Lord Estermont spoke. "We've smashed the Peakes. We've smashed the Tarlys. You killed a master of the Warrior's Sons." Even Orys was surprised at who killed with the neck-crushing blow of his warhammer. "There is no better time than to press our advantage."

"But what you're suggesting is moving into the Reach. The Red Mountains worked to our advantage, but we cannot hope to fight in the open fields of the Gardeners' kingdom on our own. We have neither the men nor the time needed to successfully storm Horn Hill and Starpike before the Gardeners muster tens of thousands of troops. All of us are aware of the host that can be raised by Highgarden and while numbers do not win battles, they surely help in war."

"Lord Baratheon," Lord Mertyns stepped forward. "We cannot just wait here for the Gardeners to come to Nightsong again. We may not have the same success gained today."

"I agree," Orys replied. "Therefore, I shall have the passes on the west bank of the tributary fortified to prevent our enemies from advancing on us again. Just like today, we can use the mountains against them and deny the advantage from their numbers. I want stockades to be brought up and pits to be dug to hamper the Gardeners and a sizable force to man them in case the Gardeners do try to break through again. Meanwhile, I will lead our troops north to the riverlands to reinforce my brother, my good-brother, and my sisters against the threat from the west."

"You're referring to the armies of Loren Lannister?" Lord Swann asked.

"Yes. The Brackens have defected, as did the Pipers. From the last dispatch from the Blackwater Rush, they will be within striking distance of Riverrun, which controls the Red Fork. We have to support the riverlands if we are to stop the Lannisters from advancing further and threatening the Blackwater Bay."

The stormlords nodded, but Orys saw that they were unsure about meeting the Lannisters. They've never fought against the men of the Rock since Arlan III Durrandon, and much has changed since then. While the Lannisters did not field a host as large as the Gardeners, they were much better equipped and trained for heavy combat. The lords of the Rock were just as inclined to martial traditions as were the stormlords, so there was a little apprehension from them.

"What news from the Vale, my lord?" Lord Dondarrion asked before Orys dismissed them. "The Arryns have declared for the Faith, but they've been quiet so far while the Gardeners and Lannisters are making their moves against us."

Orys couldn't answer that. The Vale was also filled with pious followers of the Faith and Sharra Arryn had made the decision to involve the Eyrie in the High Septon's declaration. However, there were no troop movements spotted or naval activities from Gulltown to report on. Or was there?

"No news so far, Lord Dondarrion," Orys replied. "However, we must be wary of the men from the Mountain while we move on the riverlands. I'll leave Houses Caron and Selmy in charge of the defenses while the rest will march north."

With the council adjourned, Orys walked to the lord's solar, which was graciously given by Lord Caron. Over a year ago, he wouldn't have imagined himself going to a solar out of his volition, but being a lord has a way of making one adjust his habits to the duties brought onto him. What was more, he felt Argella follow him and merely allowed her to enter first before closing the door behind them.

Orys took in a few moments to stare at his lady wife. She had on the olive gowns she usually wore, but he noticed that there were red-black trimmings, the colors of his father's house. She was not as graceful as Rhaenys or muscled as Visenya, but she came in a close second and was stunning to look at like the first time he saw her. Her flowing black hair that reached her waist, her well-defined jawline, and her clear and pale skin… Orys remained unsure at how he was able to have such a woman by his side.

Beyond her looks, Orys saw that she was every bit her father's daughter. She was strong-willed, she was not afraid to speak her mind, and she had a tendency to make unveiled threats. However, unlike her father, she was intelligent, familiar to the ways of a court, and could handle Storm's End on her own. He also noticed that Argella had a bit of a temper, which he assumed was formed from the moment her father made her his heir, which brought up protests from the stormlords over having to answer to a woman. _Just like Visenya in that regard_.

But what threw off Orys was how she seemed… happy to see him. He never forgot how she cried on their wedding night, when they dispensed with the bedding ceremony and were expected to consummate their marriage in private. He hesitated to remove her dress, and stopped completely when he saw her tears. He couldn't blame her, as she was afraid of having relations with the man that killed her father. He slept on the far side of the bed that night and kept his distance from her for six moons, only meeting with her to discuss Storm's End's business such as the indemnity payments and dealing with the Stepstones' corsairs. Even when their father told him to bed Argella that night at Dragonstone, he attempted to bribe the servants into telling his father that they did because he still couldn't do it, only for them to refuse out of loyalty to their lord. To his surprise, the servants eventually agreed to keep his secret as a favor to their lord's son and because he treated them well. Her smiling and being loose with him was a complete change in her previous attitude towards him.

"What are you doing here?" Orys asked as nicely as he could.

Argella blinked. "Are you not happy to see me?"

Orys cursed himself, since his words still came out wrong. "I'm sorry. Um, how did you get here from Storm's End so quickly?"

Argella grinned, satisfied with how he worded it that time. "Well, I had Ser Bruze get a fast ship and I sailed to Stonehelm. I heard that there was a battle on the way and I wanted to show my support to my husband. Is there a problem?"

"No, no," Orys shook his head. "On the contrary. I just-"

"You didn't expect me to be here at all?"

"Not just that," Orys admitted.

"Ah," Argella understood. "You think I still hate you for killing my father and taking my home and lands. Is that right?"

Orys nodded, not able to deny it.

Argella sighed. "I gave them up when I bent the knee, but your father was gracious to allow me to keep my home and lands. No lord or king in his right mind would do that, but then again, your father is not like my lords." Orys beamed at her praising his father. "And to be honest, I can't forget that you killed my father. But as the moons passed by, I began asking myself this: how can a man who is eager for battle feel remorse for killing another? Most men in your position would have taken their way with me by right of conquest, but you didn't. And that's when I realized that you saw a part of yourself in my father before he died."

One could hear a pin drop in the solar. _How did she know that_?

"My mother was a Penrose, but she was the only one from that house to really impress my father with her wits and book knowledge. When she died from the shivers…" Argella hesitated before continuing. "My father blamed himself for her death because he wasn't there to comfort her in those last days, instead choosing to fight the Dornish near the Wyl. That's why he didn't want to take a wife, since he reflected too much on my mother and I saw him bury his grief in his sparring and his constant warring."

Orys was surprised that Argella would reveal such intimate details of her life to him. Like Jaenyx, when one revealed details about especially their mothers, that was a sign of trust or a leap of faith to make the relationship stronger. _Is that what she wants_?

"My father had his faults, but in a way, he regretted choosing the sword over his own wife. You regretted killing him because you saw that you were in some ways the same as him. Both of you are not one for books or for dealing with the tedious minutiae of courtly life. And you especially are not one to shy away from battle, leading from the front like my father did. So, you're not like most men. You proved that by showing me the respect that I deserve as your wife."

"But this is an arranged union," Orys stated. "I may be the Lord of Storm's End, but I only got it as part of the dowry and I let you run it because it's your home more than it is mine."

"Would most men do or think that?" Argella asked. "At first, I balked at the idea of being with a bastard, but I think you having to live with your bastard status made you humble. Made you more… capable of feeling things that most people wouldn't understand. You told me the origins of your last name, which can only indicate that you are good."

In the only time they really talked in the six moons they were married, Orys revealed where "Baratheon" came from. His mother was a Westerosi maid of House Celtigar, herself a bastard daughter of the Lord of Claw Isle. When he was born after his father bedded that maid one night, his father took him in but Lord Daemion Targaryen angrily refused to allow Orys to have the Targaryen name. Instead, his father took a name from old Valyria that had been lost with the Doom but one that was named after a place from the Targaryens' former holdings in the Lands of the Long Summer, Baratyon. Baratyon, which came from a town in the northern part of the Valyrian Peninsula that was the birthplace of the first Targaryen, was also the name for the Targaryens' original keep, which they established after taming their first dragon while they were sheep farmers. While the Targaryens got other lands in the Freehold and the Lands of the Long Summer before moving to Dragonstone, they never let go of Baratyon because they wanted to remind themselves of where they came from despite the land not being worth much compared to their other possessions. His father then adapted it to Westerosi fashion, Baratheon.

Orys felt himself relax at Argella's words, touched at her sincerity. "I would never think less of you."

"I know that," Argella replied.

"And I know that me killing your father will always be a fact that lives with us."

"Yes, it will be."

"And I hope you know that I will never take you against your will."

"You've proved that even now."

Orys sighed. "If it means anything, I am sorry that I killed him. I can only imagine what it is to lose a father, even being near the man who did the deed." He felt a tear drop from his eye. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," Orys managed to say but found it difficult to keep it together.

Argella took in his words, flustered at his apology. "He was foolish, but he died as a warrior, how he always wanted. You gave him a chance to live and he didn't take it, so you had no control over what happened next. You don't need to apologize, since I've begun to move on from that and dwelling on the past, no matter how much pain there is, never helps anyone. But if it means anything, I accept your apology."

Orys smiled, thankful that Argella did. Just then, he remembered. "I have something to show you, if you'll allow me."

"Of course."

Orys walked over to a chest on the other side of the solar, taking out a rolled piece of cloth. He designed it himself, with help from Rhaenys, as a way to make peace with Argella. _Hopefully, she doesn't react badly_.

"I've had a banner made. I did establish my own house at Storm's End, but I had no banner and I couldn't use the previous banner. So, I came up with something that I hope will be a good start for our house."

"All right," Argella nodded. "What is it?"

Orys didn't answer, only focusing on unrolling the banner and placing it on the wall.

The banner had the Durrandon colors and the reared-up stag, with the words being "Ours is the Fury." However, Orys added his own addition to the banner with Rhaenys' advice, with dragon wigs on the back of the stag and fire coming out of its mouth. Rhaenys said that it was a banner to recognize the union of the blood of the dragon and the blood of Durran Godsgrief, with House Baratheon staying true to its origins from Valyria and its adopted ones from the Age of Heroes. Argilac may have been unwise, but he was a warrior to the end and Orys would be damned before he gave him any disrespect.

What made Orys happy was how Argella was… mesmerized by it. Not only was her husband honoring her house in such a way, but she was also looking at a banner that included elements of old Valyria, whose culture and people she greatly admired. She didn't have any issue with marrying either Aegon or Jaenyx, calling them "stunners", and her house now could have Valyrian blood in its veins.

"Do you like it, my lady?" Orys asked hesitantly.

"It's so… lovely," Argella said. "You're staying true to your Valyrian roots, but you've adopted my house's sigil and words. No man would ever think to do this."

Orys shrugged. "As you said, I'm not most men."

Without warning, Argella walked up to him, tip-toed to his face, and pecked him on the lips. "Thank you, husband. I will never forget today."

"Nor will I," Orys managed after overcoming the shock from her kiss.

"We'll talk tomorrow, then?"

"Aye. I would like that," Orys smiled.

Argella exited the solar, but smiled at her husband one last time. "Good night, Orys," were her final words before closing the door.

"Good night… Argella."

**The battle is based on Kennesaw Mountain (1864), with a different outcome. **

**Like I said, I have bigger plans for Jaenyx and Orys understands that he is not someone to be trifled with, but he's also thankful that he is part of the family. I hope that lays rest to the doubts about Jaenyx. If not, nothing more I can do. **

**Lots to cover in this chapter, but Orys is becoming more than just someone who could wield a hammer. He wasn't one of Aegon's top commanders in canon for nothing, and I hope that I showcased well his diversifying his battle expertise. **

**Coming up with Argella's background and the origin of "Baratheon" was fun. And because Orys was showing her a lot of respect, combine that with the banner and she'll definitely fall for him. I hope I showed that well. **


	28. Rhaenys VII

RHAENYS VII

_Rhaenys was there again, in the middle of the weirwoods where she first saw Brandon Snow, the bastard brother of Torrhen Stark, Lord of Winterfell and King in the North. However, she wasn't as confused as the last time because she was fully aware that she was having the dragon dreams. The moment she touched Meraxes, she found herself falling high from the sky into the sea of red-leafed weirwoods, but she merely stood back up and started searching for her dragon and her Stark acquaintance. _

_As she moved deeper into the weirwoods, Rhaenys was surprised when the weirwood forest transitioned into a normal forest, but the evergreens were incredibly tall and there were still weirwoods here and there. She didn't know where exactly she was, but the eerie calm that existed amongst the weirwoods extended to the towering evergreens. She was off-putted by this change, as it felt more normal to be amongst everyday types of trees rather than the ones that had become near extinct south of the Neck. _

_Rhaenys finally came across a stream that ran below the evergreens and noticed wolf tracks on her bank. Following the tracks, she smiled as she saw Brandon Snow sitting on a boulder next to his direwolf Autumn and Meraxes drinking from the stream. She ignored Brandon as she walked past him and patted Meraxes' snout, who snorted her appreciation but kept drinking. _

"_Glad you could make it, Lady Rhaenys," Brandon Snow began. _

"_Good to see you, my lord," Rhaenys replied as she turned around to see him. _

"_Please, my lady. I'm not a lord. I'm just a bastard," Brandon stated sheepishly. _

"_Who can connect with people in dreams," Rhaenys responded. _

"_Well, admittedly, my particular abilities are of a dying sort," Brandon explained. "Greensight has not been as common as it once was ever since the Andals stormed through the south. The magic of the First Men and the children have faded to near nonexistence over thousands of years." _

"_Evidently, not all of it," Rhaenys pointed. "The Andals failed to cross the Neck and the magic must've survived." _

"_There might be a chance to bring it all back," Brandon stood up from the boulder while Autumn lifted his head off the ground._

"_What do you mean?" Rhaenys asked. _

"_I'll be straight with you, Lady Rhaenys. The magic that flows in your blood doesn't match well with the magic that flows through mine and fire is rarely helpful for those worshipping what people see as magical trees. But sometimes, fire is needed to burn out a forest when it grows out of control and to make room for new growth. It's like using scissors to cut your hair, as you can hurt yourself using them but they're necessary to prevent your hair from growing too much and making it easier for the lice to infect you." _

"_You're not being straight, Lord Snow," Rhaenys chuckled. "I don't know why I'm hearing you say what I already know about keeping decent health."_

"_We have common cause, Lady Rhaenys. I know that the Starry Sept has declared a holy war on you and the Valyrian people in general, seeing you, your dragons, and your practices as abominations. But, the same arguments that they use against you apply to the First Men and the North. If they had their way, the Faith would have burned every weirwood they saw, and I fear that their actions against you would only spur them towards extreme measures against anything they deem as hostile to their religious practices." _

"_First time I read that declaration, I was… shocked to say the least," Rhaenys went back to when Jaenyx read that message aloud in their father's solar. "I never did follow the Faith, so did the rest of my family. But I liked the septon and septas on Dragonstone before my father told them to return to Oldtown, as I didn't have anything against them. Now, I don't want anything to do with the Faith anymore." _

"_Only been to a sept once at White Harbour, and never saw the appeal that one time. But getting back on point, you and the other Valyrians are greatly threatened. If you and your family are wiped out, what's to stop the rest of the south from marching north again and finishing what their ancestors failed to do?" _

"_Well," Rhaenys shrugged. "If I remember correctly, Theon Stark had many things to say about the Andals invading his home, if the spiked heads on his shores explain anything." _

_Brandon Snow nodded, impressed. "Very good. But, there has only been one Theon Stark in thousands of years and there's no guarantee that the North will withstand the Andals the next time they invade." _

"_So, what are you suggesting?" Rhaenys crossed her arms. _

"_Your family commands an able host, but you're spread thin and you can't fully trust the lords under you, except for a select few like the Blackwoods. The North might have driven them out of the Wolfswood thousands of years ago, but we still keep in contact with them as they still follow the Old Gods. Even with your dragons, you'll be hard pressed to fight the lords of the Rock and the Reach to the west and south and the Knights of the Vale to the east. The riverlands are divided and unprotected, while the former Storm kingdom cannot withstand the Gardeners forever despite your half-brother's victory there." _

"_How do you know about that?" _

"_Having what I have makes me aware of events before they occur, but Winterfell has kept a close eye on the developments south of the Neck for some time now. It's the reason why my brother King Torrhen proceeded to assemble his personal banners the moment he heard about Harrenhal and then reading the Starry Sept's declaration. He will call the other northern lords soon." _

_Rhaenys was surprised. Calling the banners was never a move to be taken lightly, and hearing about the Starks putting together their banners could only mean that the rest of the North would follow. "Why would your king do that? He has no obvious stake in our conflicts with the Faith." _

"_I told him some things that… persuaded him to begin preparations. Unlike the rest of the south, bringing the full strength of the North to Moat Cailin takes time given the distances between the various houses, but once mustered fully, an army of northmen can triumph against an army of summer knights. Theon Stark certainly accomplished that thousands of years ago."_

"_But why assemble the army in the first place?" Rhaenys asked. _

_Brandon Snow paused. "There are those that… doubt my abilities. While Theon Stark might have stopped the Andals from getting a foothold, he didn't stop Andal blood from entering the north over many generations. While the Andal lords might have brought practical power and quality steel amongst other things to the north, the blood of the First Men that was so prominent north of the Neck slowly became diluted. The Manderlys for starters, then the Flints, and so on. But the Starks cannot forget its First Men heritage and the fact that we were descended from both the Warg King and Brandon the Builder, so we took great pains to ensure that whatever abilities our blood carried remained alive. I grew up with King Torrhen and he saw my abilities personally, so he has no reason to doubt what I had to say about the threat from the Faith in the south. That's one of the reasons why he didn't go to the Arbor when King Mern of the Reach invited him." _

"_What?" Rhaenys' eyes widened, not knowing what he was talking about. _

"_I told him that I saw King Mern Gardener, Queen Regent Sharra Arryn, Darvin Hoare, and King Loren Lannister convene at the Arbor to discuss what their High Septon prayed about. I don't know the full details, but they sought to use the Faith to further their own ends towards Westeros. Loren Lannister wants the riverlands up to the Gods Eye, Mern Gardener wants the stormlands, Queen Sharra wants the Blackwater Bay, and Darvin Hoare wants the riverlands again. I'm surprised that they would invite the ironborn in the first place, given that they attacked you at Dragonstone and started the whole mess and not following the Faith." _

"_Hold on a moment," Rhaenys stopped him. "You mean to say that this was prearranged? And that this isn't about the Faith at all?" _

"_Oh, no. Don't get me wrong," Brandon shook his head. "The Faith has a central role in this, but the other rulers of Westeros that are fighting against you simply use the Faith to further their own ambitions. Sharra Arryn has particular designs towards your home area and the Vale has been silent. But I would keep my eyes open for them." _

_Rhaenys took this all in. The Faith declaring a holy war on the Valyrians was not just an act of pure religious fanaticism but also a political stratagem by ambitious rulers. She felt especially irritated against the Arryns, as they had the guts to think about taking their home from them. But thinking about the whole picture, she realized that the deaths of Black Harren and the Arrogant king had opened an opportunity for the rulers going against them, as Loren Lannister wouldn't have to worry about fighting against the ironborn from both land and sea, and the Gardeners believed the stormlands to be impotent with Argilac dead. But something still bothered Rhaenys._

"_Did you know this was going to happen?" _

_That made Brandon Snow hesitate before he became resolute. "Yes, I did." _

"_Then why didn't you tell us?!" Rhaenys cried. _

"_Would you have believed me if I did, my lady?" Brandon Snow shot back. "The Faith had never done something like this and I only got the knowledge just recently. However, it doesn't matter since it is happening and we need each other." _

"_How?" _

"_If the Faith succeed, their power would grow unprecedented and I don't know if the North could withstand waves of Faith fanatics even with Moat Cailin. As a northerner, I cannot allow this threat to grow unchecked, but I also know that the northerners cannot do this by themselves. That's where you come in." _

"_Me?" _

"_There will be an envoy coming from White Harbour to Dragonstone, specifically the heir to Lord Manderly. He will carry documents containing King Torrhen's personal seal, which allows him great leeway to act on behalf of House Stark, but his main mission is to see whether a partnership could be established between the north and the Valyrians of the Blackwater Bay." _

"_You haven't told me what I would do." _

"_Your father has faith in your abilities, and so does the rest of your family. You need to make them aware of what we just discussed so that the discussions will run faster and smoother. Time is not on our side, Lady Rhaenys, and we need to know each other's terms before the full might of the Faith can overcome you." _

"_We have dragons, Lord Snow." _

"_So did the Valyrians against the Ghiscari and the Rhoynish," Brandon commented. "Granted, the people of Westeros are not them, but don't expect the dragons to easily overcome your enemies. The Rhoynish found ways to fight the dragons, so what's to stop those of the Faith from finding their own ways to combat yours?"_

_Rhaenys nodded, slowly understanding. "When should we expect this envoy to arrive?" _

"_Not long," Brandon replied as he scratched Autumn's head. "As for both of us, we will meet in person soon. The details will come from Lord Manderly when he arrives." _

"_I look forward to meeting you in person, Lord Snow, and your direwolf," Rhaenys smiled. _

"_And I you, your husband, your sister and good-brother, and the rest of your family. But just a word of warning for what's to come: you're not going to win every fight." _

"_What do you mean?" Rhaenys was confused. _

"_The only way that anyone can adapt and improve is through being set back, and that will happen very soon," Brandon said cryptically._

"_Can't you tell me more about that?"_

_Brandon shook his head. "I don't know how it will happen, but it will. Just be prepared when it does." _

_Rhaenys sighed, but accepted his answer as she saw everything around her turn into white light. "All right. I hope we meet soon, Lord Snow." _

"_We will," Brandon simply answered before the dream ended with bright whiteness. _

* * *

Rhaenys stood on the docks of Dragonstone alongside her mother and Aegon as they waited for the Manderly vessel to arrive. It was easy to convince her mother of her abilities, but telling her everything that Brandon Snow said was overwhelming for her, but they had to concentrate on dealing with their northern envoy.

After awakening at their citadel on the Blackwater Rush, Rhaenys told Aegon and their father and mother of her recent conversation with Brandon Snow. Their father had to remain behind to oversee the citadel and the progress in both the riverlands and stormlands, but gave their mother, Aegon, and herself leave to act on his behalf when the Manderly vessel arrived at Dragonstone. He had previously sent envoys to House Cerwyn of Cerwyn and to White Harbour, the houses of the North that had the most contact with the Starks of Winterfell, to assess the situation in the Northern kingdom but withheld Rhaenys having the dragon dreams since that would have led the northmen not taking his envoys seriously. But it might change if Brandon Snow with his greensight was able to convince his king brother to send an envoy to their home.

Rhaenys and Aegon flew back to Dragonstone on Meraxes and Balerion, where they spent the next whole day preparing the castle for their new arrivals. They didn't expect their envoy to spend the whole day there and Darvin Hoare wasn't coming, so their lady mother was determined to continue being the hostess that she was known for.

Aegon stood straight in his armor and Blackfyre on his left side and Flame Screecher on his back, which Rhaenys didn't object to even though they were not expecting a fight. Her husband looked powerful and befitting of a dragonlord and appearances still mattered, as the sight of Balerion and Meraxes would deter Lord Manderly's son from overreaching himself during the negotiations. As for Rhaenys, she was dressed in her regular red and black gown while their mother wore an aquamarine dress that paid homage to her Velaryon ancestry, but the jeweled and Valyrian steel crown that she wore on her head made clear to all who her true allegiances were, as only those of House Targaryen could wear those crowns and she would choose her family over her nephew Daemon all the time. _Hopefully, it won't have to come to that_.

"This will be something to remember," their mother remarked. "A northerner has come to the south and only because of people with magical dreams."

"Come now, muna," Aegon replied. "The Manderlys are quite good at navigating through the intricacies of the south. Then again, doesn't exactly say much as they were expelled by the Gardeners thousands of years ago."

"But I worry, Egg," their mother admitted. "They converted to the Faith after the Andals came and northmen might be a loyal bunch, but who knows what kind of effect the High Septon's declaration had on the Manderlys?"

"As you said, muna, they are a loyal bunch," Aegon pointed out. "House Stark gave them shelter when the Gardeners kicked them out of the Reach, so they should have no thoughts of treachery against Winterfell. If they did anything that went against Torrhen Stark's orders, they would be in great danger from the other houses of the North that would vie for control over White Harbour."

Their mother nodded. "Let's hope their sense of loyalty runs stronger than that of the Brackens'. I heard that Jaenyx and Vis tore down the walls of Stone Hedge and burned what the standing structures with Vhagar and Cloudwynd before their troops troops carried off the food and gold from there. Is that right?"

"Kessa, muna," Aegon confirmed.

"Good," their mother said with approval. "Let's hope the Pipers get theirs and that the rest of the riverlords understand the price of disloyalty, the Brackens' conflicts with the Blackwoods be damned."

Rhaenys nodded her agreement. She had to admit that Jaenyx's orders to have the Brackens muster all of their available troops to fight against the King of the Rock was smart, as that left their lands undefended and easy to take should they prove treacherous. Now, House Bracken no longer had a home and their lands were now forfeit. She hoped that the next lord who took over their lands would be far more loyal than their last owners.

In the distance, the three saw a ship's silhouette emerge. As it got closer, the sails were decorated with the unmistakable merman sigil of House Manderly. Their mother gestured for their bannermen and Quenton Qoherys to ready themselves, as while they did not expect an attack, they had to be alert.

Finally, the Manderly ship docked and a plank was lowered as a contingent of Manderly bannermen disembarked from the vessel and Dragonstone men were tying their ship down. The Manderly bannermen were dressed in a mixture of mail and plate armor and were all well-armed with swords, axes, and pikes along with their shields painted with the Manderly sigil. Seven of them escorted a man who wore a thick fur cloak, leather gambeson, sword on his left, and the merman hanging his neck. He stopped just a few feet from Rhaenys, Aegon, and their mother.

"I presume you are of House Targaryen?" the man addressed them in his northern brogue.

"Yes," their mother answered. "I am Valaena Targaryen, Lady of Dragonstone. And these are my children. Lord Aegon, heir to Dragonstone, and his wife, Rhaenys. Who might you be, my lord?"

"Lady Valaena," the Manderly man bowed slightly in respect. "I am Warrick Manderly, heir to Lord Manderly of White Harbour. I have come to Dragonstone on behalf of His Grace Torrhen Stark, First of his Name, Lord of Winterfell and King in the North."

"Well met, Lord Warrick," Aegon shook his hand. "I am glad you have made the journey here to our home. However, before you venture further on Dragonstone, I must insist that you leave your weapons at your boat. You have nothing to fear from us, my lord."

Suddenly, Balerion and Meraxes flew over the Manderly boat, roaring loudly and causing Warrick Manderly and his entourage to fall on the deck in fear. Aegon and Rhaenys smirked, thankful for their dragons for showing their northern guests a glimpse of what they were capable of.

After a moment, Warrick and his men stood back up. "So, the rumors are true," Warrick Manderly said as he dusted himself. "You do have dragons."

"Yes," Rhaenys confirmed. "But you have nothing to fear from them, as long as you don't try to harm us."

"With respect, my lady," Warrick Manderly straightened his cloak. "Before I walk further into your home, I humbly request bread and salt to be given."

"Of course, my lord," their mother gestured one of their servants who carried a bowl of salt and a loaf of bread. Rhaenys knew better than to spit on the tradition of guest rights, but it was getting quite annoying for her, as if the lords believe eating bread would save them from trouble. However, such thoughts were put aside as Warrick Manderly ate the bread and salt and was now at ease. Then, he gave his sword belt to a ship's crewmen, prompting his escorts to also leave their weapons at the boat.

"If you would follow us, my lord," Aegon turned around before their mother and Rhaenys followed suit.

As the Targaryen at Dragonstone, their mother took their father's seat while Aegon sat on her right and Rhaenys on her left. Due to their father allowing her to run Dragonstone's affairs alongside him, she was very attuned in how lords would behave and converse with one another and was more than capable of taking over whenever their father was absent. Rhaenys expected Warrick Manderly to shift uncomfortably at talking to a woman on an equal level, but she was surprised to see him indifferent. Then, she remembered that the First Men allowed women to have their voices heard on matters of importance and could have equal influence in key decisions. The North had a history of women who acted as ladies in their own right, such as the crannogmen of the Neck and even Bear Island to very north.

"Thank you for coming all this way, my lord," Rhaenys started. "I trust that your journey to Dragonstone has been uneventful?"

"Quite," Warrick Manderly nodded. "The waters around the Vale have been awfully devoid of activity and the Arryns know better than to provoke one of the key bannermen of the North."

"Let us dispense with the pleasantries, Lord Warrick," their mother cut in. "You were sent here by your king, who himself was convinced of sending an envoy by his brother Brandon Snow, correct?"

Rather than be surprised at their mother getting straight to business, Warrick Manderly looked relieved. "Yes, my lady. It's about time I met one of a southern house who doesn't care for useless banter."

Aegon smiled in good nature. "As much as I appreciate you agreeing with my mother, I must caution against you speaking with too much familiarity with us. Just as things are different in the North, things are different in the south. Etiquette must be followed, my lord."

Warrick Manderly nodded in understanding. "Of course, Lord Aegon. That aside, I have been granted much authority by my king to discuss terms of a possible partnership between our people against the threat of the Starry Sept. My king has closely followed your family's progress against the ironborn and King Argilac and even with dragons, your success against two of Westeros' formidable rulers is just remarkable."

"Thank you, my lord," Aegon replied.

"That being said, your family is in a serious situation. You have the Lannisters from the west, the Gardeners from the south, and the Arryns from the east who have strangely not made any moves yet, but the Knights of the Vale can't be trifled with during battle. You might have marcher lords on your side along with a decent host from House Blackwood and the riverlords who are still loyal to your house, but it'll be difficult to fight all three threats simultaneously. The Lannisters are the main underwriters of the Faith's Holy War while the Gardeners contribute the most troops. Plus, I have received intelligences that indicate that Loren Lannister has been in contact with the Iron Bank of Braavos."

That shocked Rhaenys, as it did Aegon and their mother. Quenton Qoherys, who was standing near the door, was stunned. The Iron Bank had a fearsome reputation of loaning to rulers all over the known world and eliminating their debtors whenever they failed to pay their loans back. If Loren Lannister got the Iron Bank involved in the Holy War, that showed how serious their enemies were in wiping them out and were willing to get more resources from one of the wealthiest institutions in the world if it meant their aims would be achieved.

"By contact, do you mean that the Lannisters got a loan from the Iron Bank?" Aegon asked.

"The Iron Bank wouldn't have sent a representative to his court if they didn't show serious interest in helping Loren Lannister in his cause. I assume that the gold underneath Casterly Rock is not enough for the Faith to accomplish their objectives."

"How do you know all of this?" their mother asked.

"My father has a few friends in Braavos. Plus, any Braavosi ship has to dock either at White Harbour or Gulltown before moving further south in the narrow sea, so the Iron Bank has no reason to hide their plans from us, yet."

"Yet?" Aegon raised an eyebrow.

"The North recognizes the threat from the Starry Sept and my king has no interest in seeing the Faith become more powerful than it already is. Should they succeed, who knows what else they'll do, especially in regards to its ambitious followers?"

"What about you? Don't you follow the Faith?" Rhaenys pointed out.

Warrick Manderly was stumped. Rhaenys couldn't tell if he was pious or not, but the fact remained that at least some in White Harbour would be tempted to answer the call from the Starry Sept.

"Why are you hesitating, my lord?" their mother asked. "My daughter asked you a question."

Warrick Manderly ran a hand through his hair, unsure of what he would say next. "I will… admit. There have been some in my family who felt compelled to march south and fight alongside our brothers and sisters of the Faith against you Valyrians." _Be careful_, Rhaenys warned in her mind. "Myself included."

Quenton Qoherys looked ready to draw his sword, recognizing the potential threat from their guest. "Then why didn't you?" Aegon asked.

"My house might be followers of the Faith," Warrick Manderly admitted. "But we are of the North despite our origins from the Reach. And the thing about northmen is that we have long memories. It took all of my house a moment before we remembered that the Gardeners expelled us from the south. The only house that took us in was the Starks of Winterfell, who gave us land and titles in exchange for us being their loyal subjects. If we marched with the Faith in the south, we would be breaking our oaths with the North and they would never forget that. In addition, the Faith as a whole did nothing while our homes and lands were seized, so us having a sept in White Harbour is merely for sentimental purposes. Still, there are those are still stubbornly committed to the Faith, so my views might not held by other members of my house."

"Then why should we trust you as an envoy for the King in the North?" their mother questioned. "If what you say is true, then your house and one of the North's most powerful bannermen is close to dividing."

"Because we have more experience in dealing with the south in comparison to the other northern lords," Warrick Manderly answered. "And at the end of the day, the northmen will always stand by other northmen."

"So, what are the terms of the North?" Aegon refocused the discussion.

"The North is prepared to contribute men, ships, and supplies to fight alongside your armies against the Faith. We won't officially join your war yet, but the King in the North recognizes that the First Men and the Valyrians have common cause against the Starry Sept."

"In exchange for what?" Rhaenys clasped her hands on the table.

"For now, I am only authorized to ask that the North gain new territories and that your family recognize our claims in perpetuity."

"What territories did you have in mind?" their mother was taken aback.

"Specifically, the Twins and the Three Sisters."

Aegon shook his head. "I don't know if we can agree to those terms. We might not have the highest opinion of the Freys, but they control the Twins and they haven't acted against us. And the Three Sisters are not ours to give, as those islands are under the Vale and therefore, we don't control them."

"You are right in not looking at them favorably, but I wouldn't be so sure of House Frey if I were you, Lord Aegon," Warrick Manderly replied. "Also, as the Vale is at war with your family, it wouldn't be long before your troops move on the Arryn king. The north merely asks that you do not interfere while we stake our claim on the Three Sisters."

"Why those two territories, my lord?" Rhaenys leaned back in her chair.

"The strategic position of the Twins would be of great benefit to the North, as well as the castles' incomes. Besides Moat Cailin, control of the Twins would ensure that no hostile army from the south could ever hope to cross the Neck. In regards to the Three Sisters, we cannot have potentially hostile islands so close to the only viable port in the North. Theon Stark was right to conquer them, but his successors failed to hold them."

"We won't stop you from taking the Three Sisters, but giving the Twins to the north might cause problems for our family," Aegon stated. "We might control two kingdoms, but we cannot give land to outsiders without causing discontent amongst the lords sworn to us."

As if expecting his answer, Warrick Manderly pulled out a note from his pocket and opened it. "Lord Brandon Snow expected you to say that, Lord Aegon. So, he gave me a note as a response."

"Brandon Snow?" their mother's eyes widened in surprise. She only heard of him through Rhaenys' dreams, but now she was being introduced to him in the real world.

Warrick Manderly held up the note as he squinted his eyes at the evidently small handwriting and read from it. "''I personally have no care for territories, but the northern lords would expect concessions if they were to be involved in the affairs of the south. What Lord Warrick Manderly offered in the terms is relatively inconsequential to what you will hold a few years from now. You might give away lands you think is important, but consider it an investment in the future, a future where your family will not just hold two kingdoms, but all seven kingdoms of Westeros and more. Two bloodlines will emerge from Dragonstone, one that will continue House Targaryen and another from the one that travelled from Sothoryos, but both will be elevated to greatness. For this to occur, an alliance between the First Men and the Valyrians must be made, similar to the Pact between the First Men and the Children of the Forest. A pact of ice and fire, to be used against those who seek the ruin of the old and to end the unnatural order that is threatening to overcome and weaken the world. On behalf of House Stark, I strongly suggest both Houses Targaryen and Belaerys to consider the terms offered today. Your family will experience a setback and once that happens, I invite your family to convene with the northern lords at Widow's Watch to follow up on our terms. Only together can we survive. Signed, Brandon Snow, Castellan of Winterfell.'"

Aegon and their mother sat there, more confused than ever. Rhaenys knew what they were thinking. _Greatness? All Seven Kingdoms of Westeros? Pact? Ice and fire? What's going on here_? But for some reason, she was not as puzzled as they were, as Brandon Snow already warned that they would experience a setback. She might have been baffled at Brandon Snow's words on their family controlling all of Westeros' seven kingdoms, but at the same time, she had abilities that were comparable to Brandon Snow's, so it should not be too much of a stretch.

"Why didn't you start with reading that note?" Rhaenys finally asked. "It could have saved us time."

"Lord Snow asked me to not read it until after I gave the terms, because if I began by reading it, it would have lacked context and therefore adding more confusion."

"Let me get this right," Aegon leaned forward on the right. "Brandon Snow sees us ruling all of the kingdoms of Westeros? Our family and Jaenyx becoming rulers in our own right?"

Warrick Manderly put up his hands to show his confusion. "Lord Aegon, I am just a messenger, so I'm not the best person to ask on what he has to say on the matter."

"Rhae," Aegon turned to her. "Is this the first time you're hearing of this?"

"Yes," Rhaenys admitted. "But, at the same time, I'm not ready to disbelieve it. I have the dragon dreams and Lord Snow has the greensight. The only question is, how will that happen?"

Aegon looked like he wanted to say more, but decided otherwise. "What about your father, Lord Warrick? Has House Manderly assembled their banners?" he turned to Manderly.

"House Manderly and House Reed have answered King Torrhen's call to arms and will assemble at Moat Cailin. The other northern lords will arrive there over time."

"How many troops can your king assemble?"

"Forty-five thousand, but he can't send them all, so I could only hope that he can bring together forty thousand troops if he gives the northern mountain clans and other distant houses more time."

"Lord Warrick," their mother stood up. "I invite you and your men to stay the night at Dragonstone. It's a long journey back to White Harbour and it'll be rude of me and my house to have you simply go back on your ship after just arriving on our shores today. You will have the full hospitality of my household at your disposal."

"I thank you, my lady," Lord Warrick replied courteously. "But I must be returning home."

"It's only one night, my lord," their mother smiled, although both Rhaenys and Aegon knew that there was no refusing her. "Enjoy the warm southern climate for at least a day. And your men could enjoy good food and wine in the meantime. Also, you've seen our dragons, but really observe them and look upon the creatures that burned Harrenhal and helped us triumph in many battles."

Warrick Manderly froze, afraid when their mother mentioned the dragons. Recognizing that further refusal would not get him anywhere, he acquiesced. "Thank you, Lady Targaryen."

"Wonderful. I'll have the servants prepare the guest quarters and you shall dine in the halls tonight."

* * *

Rhaenys stood with Aegon as they leaned on the walls of Dragonstone overlooking the Blackwater Bay. While their mother was busy accommodating their northern guests, both reflected on what Brandon Snow said in his message. They never had any aspirations to rule more than what they started with, with Aegon content with becoming the next Lord of Dragonstone and Rhaenys being his Lady. But the last six moons have seen their family control two kingdoms, more than what a lord could reasonably have. And they were already seeing the limitations of their current status, as they were near overstretched struggling to hold on to their lands even with dragons. Orys was a lord paramount and Jaenyx oversaw the riverlands, but they were still Lord of Dragonstone. Such was unprecedented and already bothered some of the lords under them, and yet they lived in unprecedented times as well, as the world saw dragons in action once again.

"What do you think, Rhae?" Aegon asked as he still stared at the sea and watched as Balerion and Meraxes flew around each other. Rhaenys noticed that this was one of the few times that her husband brooded, and he looked all the better for it.

"What?" Rhaenys responded while taking in her husband's new brooding.

"About your friend's words, about us ruling all of Westeros?"

"As I said, I'm not ready to disbelieve it, but I'm not quite sure how we'll achieve that. We have dragons, but even they have their limits."

Aegon sighed. "I never thought our family being rulers of more than the Blackwater Bay, and yet here we are. We don't have a crown, but we're responsible for many lives. We're fighting against two kings, a queen, and an ironborn shit, but we're barely holding on. I wonder if other kings in Westeros dreamt about controlling the entire continent, only for them to fail. Before we fought, all of the kingdoms fought each other and it will continue long after we're done fighting. What's the point in ruling such a shit place?"

Rhaenys looked at him in surprise. "What are you talking about?"

"What if Jae is right? Westeros is our home, but I've done some thinking recently and I only began to realize just how messed up our home really is. These people will never accept us no matter how hard we try and now, they want to kill us. And it won't stop with us just going to Dragonstone, because the people here want to wipe us out."

"Egg," Rhaenys put her hand on his shoulder. "This is not you. I might like you brooding, but you never let such thoughts darken your mind or make you passive. You act, and right now, we need action."

"How should I act, Rhae?" Egg turned to her.

"You're right. This is a shit place to live in, and Westeros may never accept us. But do we just sit back and let them hate us? You say that the fighting will never end long after we are done fighting, and I agree with that. But does that mean we have to just accept it as it is? We're dragons, and we come from a great civilization. Our ancestors didn't build Valyria because they accepted the way things were. They took action and look what happened. Only the Doom ended their work, but now, we can pick up where they left off."

"What are you suggesting?"

"They hate us for being Valyrian, so let's make them see that we're not abominations. The Faith want our lands and us to be gone, so let's stop them. Westeros will continue fighting each other, so let's end it. Jae might not have the best opinion of Westeros, but let's rise above such low thoughts and show we're better. And Brandon Snow said our family will rule the seven kingdoms. So let's do it."

Aegon turned fully to her. "You want our family to be rulers of Westeros?"

Rhaenys shrugged. "Why not? We control two kingdoms and three kingdoms march against us, with one being a potential partner. We have all the reasons we need to take them down and burn them to ash. Besides, we can't just go back to the way things were. Things are different and like Jae said, we have to think big."

Rhaenys saw Aegon absorbing all of her words, which took a while as the implications of her words started to weigh on him. "So, you would have us be kings?"

"Just think about it. Our father, Aerion Targaryen, King of Westeros, and our mother the Queen. You'll be Prince Aegon."

Aegon chuckled. "And you'd be Princess Rhaenys of House Targaryen. What about Jae and Vis?"

"They're our family, so why not also not make them royalty? Prince Jaenyx and Princess Visenya of House Belaerys."

"That does have a good ring to it," Aegon admitted.

"But it won't reflect reality, my children," they both heard their mother walk up to them.

"Muna," Rhaenys was startled. "Did you hear everything we said?"

"I did," their mother bobbed her head. "And everything you said makes sense. We can't just remain in the Blackwater Bay, because our enemies will not stop until we're dead. And I am still skeptical as to the words of your friend Brandon Snow about our family ruling all of Westeros, but as I reflected more on them, I guess as Valyrians, we're the only ones who could accomplish such a feat. Valyria might not have been built in a day, but it was built to last and our ancestors achieved wonders, so who's to say that we can't do the same thing with Westeros." Rhaenys nodded her agreement. "But I don't think your father will want to be king."

Aegon blinked. "Why not?"

"Come, Egg. He lived forty-seven name-days and he might be skilled politically, but he's hardly the most inspiring man in the world. Whatever energy he possessed when he took over Dragonstone is now gone, replaced with the cold wisdom of age. That's why he left you to command our forces alongside your sisters, Orys, and Jae, because you're still young and full of energy. You are a great warrior and men will follow you, but you also understand that winning battles is not the same as ruling over others, which is why you allow capable people to assume responsibilities you can't assume yourself. You're off to a great start, Egg, which is why when the time comes, you should be king."

Aegon's mouth was agape. "Muna, I- I- I- I," he stammered.

"But what about Jae and Orys?" Rhaenys asked. "If Egg becomes king, what about them?"

"Well, your friend Brandon Snow said that House Belaerys will also be rulers. And while your good-brother is standing alongside us for now, I think you and Egg can come up with an appropriate title for him and Vis. As for Orys, he already has his own keep and lands. But we're thinking too far ahead. Right now, our priority should be to maintain what we already have and defeat our enemies."

"Agreed," Aegon recovered from his stuttering, which surprised both Rhaenys and their mother, as he always strived to be confident in his speech.

All three were walking back to the castle when one of their servants ran up to them. "Miladies, milord," she bowed.

"What is it?" their mother asked.

"Message, from the Red Fork," the servant held out a rolled parchment.

Aegon snatched it from her hand and Rhaenys saw his eyes widen as he reread it. "Oh, gods. We need to go back to the riverlands as soon as possible, Rhae."

"What is it?"

"We're about to have a battle on our hands. Jae and Vis have linked up with Orys and his stormlanders and they're marching towards Riverrun. But Jae discovered that Broden Tully, Lord Edmyn's nephew and who you met, was double-dealing with the Poor Fellows and was found supplying them with food and weapons. As a result, Jae and Vis had him arrested and they're camped outside Riverrun along with Orys, but with the Lannisters closing in, they'll need all the dragons now."

"Of course," Rhaenys nodded before she kissed her mother's cheek. "I'm sorry we have to leave so soon, muna."

"Go, my children," their mother understood. "Go be with the family. I'll hold the fort here."

Rhaenys and Aegon spent the next half day flying on Meraxes and Balerion from Dragonstone to the outskirts of Riverrun. But unlike six moons ago, she was ready to fight and to spill blood. _Fire and blood will come to the Lannisters_.

**A/N: **

**And there we have it. Another riverlord has been proven to be disloyal and untrustworthy, this time the Tullys. They will not be the Lord Paramount of the Riverlands and they will not last for their double-dealing. The next chapter will have the first battle between the dragons and the Lannisters. We also have the first meeting between the North and Dragonstone, as well as seeing a greater extent of Brandon Snow's greensight. **

**Aegon and Rhaenys grappling with Brandon Snow's words of them ruling Westeros was a bit difficult to write, but we're now also seeing that the Targaryens have to think big if they want to survive. And that's just it. If they allow the Faith to wipe them out, it's over for them. So the only way for them to live is to take it all. And Jaenyx and Visenya are also prophesied to have their own rule. **

**As for those who still question Jaenyx, let me out line his situation for you: he saw his older brother Gaerys die from Ghiscari pirates when they raided the Basilisk Isles, he saw his father die from the red, and his mother sacrificed herself in a blood ritual so that he wouldn't die from the plague himself (the last one affecting him the most because he watched his mother disappear into ashes). Out of an original 30,000 colonists, 2000 were killed by the Ghiscari raid and nine of ten of the survivors perished with the red death, leaving only 2,800 left. Jaenyx is the only dragonrider besides the Targaryens, he only has one dragon and barely 1000 people who could to fight as the rest are noncombatants. The only other place that he knew for sure would not kill him and his people was Dragonstone, so he took a chance and it paid off. However, if he just came in and pressed his will against the Targaryens while being unfamiliar with the ways of Westeros and not speaking the common tongue, he would have made a lot of enemies and his people would not have survived. The same thing would have applied if he ever went to Essos, as his small force and one dragon is not enough to take on the massive armies that places like Volantis and those of the Slaver's Bay could assemble. He needs the Targaryens, as they helped him settle in, they gave his people shelter, they made him familiar with the ways of Westeros, and they gave him a strong and beautiful wife. And now, he was every reason to support and fight alongside his family, as the Faith wants to wipe out all of the Valyrians and he won't be able to rule anything if he's dead. So, he has to support the Targaryens, as his survival depends on their survival. Plus, the Targaryens became the family he lost and he would never betray them. But rest assured, he and Visenya will get their own crowns, just don't expect them to fight their siblings for them as that will run against everything they hold dear (we don't want another S8 disaster where Dany was written to be willing to kill Jon to eliminate a threat and go Mad Queen out of nowhere, which is a load of horseshit from Dumb and Dumber because they were so desperate to make Dany a villain when all her life, she wanted her family back, and that's what the Targaryens and Jaenyx also hold very dear to their hearts and they will kill themselves before they have their dragons burn who they love). **

**Next, we have Loren Lannister leading his armies at Riverrun, but with a twist. **


	29. Loren Lannister II

**Hope I still got it and that this will be a nice change of pace. This was a bit difficult to write. Enjoy :) **

LOREN LANNISTER II

Loren Lannister sat at the head of the table, eyeing all of his generals as well as the newly-defected riverlords. As the vanguard of the alliance, the lords of the Rock took the lead in the High Septon's call for the holy war and were able to muster their banners, forty thousand men from houses such as Crakehall, Marbrand, Westerling, Lefford, and Reyne, in just one moon. Passing through the Golden Tooth, their troops soon came into contact with a riverman army comprised of twelve thousand troops from Houses Bracken, Piper, and Darry. Before a battle could commence, however, an envoy from Lord Prestan Bracken of Stone Hedge approached Loren Lannister's tent and stated that the troops of House Bracken would switch sides to a king rooted in the Faith. He didn't say anything about his lack of strong piety, but he welcomed Lord Bracken supplementing his army with his six thousand men. House Piper also switched sides, but the two thousand men of House Darry wisely chose to fall back and scouts reported that they were moving along the Red Fork towards Riverrun. He spent

Loren Lannister convened his generals, both from the Rock and from the Brackens and Pipers, on how next to proceed when his scouts brought back reports on the troops sworn to Dragonstone. The reports read that ten thousand men from the riverlands, four thousand men comprising both Valyrians and those from around the Blackwater Bay, and ten thousand from the stormlords were converging on the Red Fork and marching to meet them before they got to Riverrun. While he commanded the larger host, Loren Lannister kept in mind that the Valyrians defeated armies many times their size because of their prowess in battle and their dragons. Unlike Black Harren, he wasn't going to throw his troops against them and would rely on strategy to bring down the Valyrians. He also had to be mindful of the dragons, as Rook's Rest and Wailing Willows showed that the dragons could wipe out entire formations of troops in a blink of an eye and he thus had to find ways to limit their usage against his troops.

But first, Loren Lannister had to get some understanding of who he was dealing with. The problem with most men of martial inclinations was that they simply charged into battle without first getting a sense of who their opponents were. For that purpose, he sent a raven to the Citadel and had a face-to-face meeting with Maester Harrion, who was the maester at Dragonstone before Lord Aerion Targaryen sent him away. He knew the Targaryen brood since they were children, so he was the best source on who they were.

Maester Harrion described Aegon Targaryen, the heir to Dragonstone, as an enigma, who never really talked with many people besides his bastard brother Orys Baratheon. However, Harrion had good things to say about Aegon, describing him with a strong sense of duty, respectful, and kind to all. He also took his lordly duties seriously, as he never hesitated to learn from his more experienced father in how to run a keep, how to deal with vassals, and so on. He was also very good with a blade, wielding a Valyrian steel sword named Blackfyre, and Maester Harrion observed from his sparring sessions with Dragonstone's master-at-arms Quenton Qoherys that he had the potential to be one of the most renowned warriors on the continent, only needing to participate in tourneys and get knighted. The past campaigns had seen him mature into a hardened battle commander who could command respect and admiration from his troops, if Rook's Rest and Wailing Willows indicated anything. _Maybe Lord Aegon sees the futility of tourneys and that knighthood doesn't really mean much other than killing the right person at the right time, and both don't determine if one becomes a great warrior and leader_.

Maester Harrion went on to Rhaenys Targaryen, sister and currently wife to Aegon. He thought her as a precocious girl, taking a lot of interest in their lessons and was especially enthralled by his tales of the Kings of Winter. Maester Harrion had come from the North himself, the Barrowlands to be precise, and was very familiar with the Starks. While Loren could see that he doubted some of the tales he told about the North, he continued to tell such stories if it meant that Rhaenys continued to be engaged. She also partook in many of the pastimes befitting of a noble lady such as dancing, singing, poetry, and playing instruments, showing incredible skill with the fiddle, recorder, and harp among others. He also mentioned that Rhaenys knew how to handle a bow, but was not quite good at it and only killed a stag one time. _Lord Aegon chose his wife well, even if it was his sister, as a warrior should be tempered by one skilled at song. _

Orys Baratheon was described by Maester Harrion as a whoremonger, bull-headed, and insecure given his bastard status. However, he also described Orys Baratheon as a fierce warrior, able to handle an axe, warhammer, spear, and sword equally well while demonstrating great strength. He was also the tallest of the Targaryen brood even if he didn't carry his father's name, but being a bastard did little to prevent his entry into manhood. While Orys relied on strength, Aegon was a little faster and more nimble, which allowed them to have draws in their sparring sessions. Like his trueborn brother, Orys Baratheon also seemed to take his lordly duties seriously, learning from his father on how to run his own keep and keep his vassals under control, lessons he must've applied well if his leading the stormlords indicated anything. However, he was not ready to take Maester Harrion's words on Orys Baratheon at face value, as it took a certain type of person to kill King Argilac on the field of battle and rule over his domains without a rebellion breaking out, which it didn't for the past six moons. _He must be better at being a lord than even the maester expected._

As for the oldest of the Targaryen brood, the one thing that Visenya Targaryen shared with her younger sister was that they were both curious about the world around them. However, from there they divulged. She was not as strong as her brothers, but she was the fastest amongst them and was not above discarding the rules in their sparring sessions. Wielding a Valyrian steel blade named Dark Sister, Maester Harrion described as a fierce warrioress who could also fight with her bare hands and unbound by the conventions surrounding a lady. What's more, she was very interested in the tales of old Valyria and voraciously read every book available that talked about blood magic rituals, which Maester Harrion tried to hide but she was able to find them anyway. She was also quite creative, as she tinkered with the many ways she could thrust and parry with Dark Sister and was not afraid of going outside conventional norms of combat. He also studied her deeds in the former Storm kingdom, which show that she was just as able of a commander as her brothers and her husband. _Quite a woman, this Visenya Targaryen. But she would not survive the schemes of the south with her attitude and inclinations. _

Loren Lannister needed information on Jaenyx Belaerys, which Maester Harrion couldn't provide as he barely knew him. He then turned to the other riverlords such as the Brackens, who weren't very helpful due to their anger at his and House Targaryen's favoring to their traditional rivals, the Blackwoods. He could not allow man's prejudice to distort how one viewed an opponent, as an imbalance in views results in key traits being left out and thus causing uncertainty when dealing with the person in question. What the riverlords and Maester Harrion did provide was Jaenyx Belaerys being rather… aloof. He said little and only dealt with most people from a distance, dealing most of the riverlords on tax matters and other mundane affairs but nothing else. Like his good-brothers and wife, he was very good with a blade and a competent commander, performing admirably at Wailing Willows and against King Argilac. But what made him stand out to Loren was his actions at Haystack Hall, where he was able to infiltrate the castle and open the gates with little to no casualties. Combined with his abilities to get information from the most unlikely sources, he saw Jaenyx Belaerys as one who was most comfortably operating in the shadows, meaning that he was more unpredictable and thus more likely to do the unexpected. _I'll need to keep an eye on him_.

Not much could be said of Aerion and Valaena Targaryen, Lord and Lady of Dragonstone, other than the former being politically experienced enough to prevent his tiny demesne from being overtaken by those around the Blackwater Bay and the former being a proper lady despite having a strong fire within her. Maester Harrion was also able to provide Loren Lannister with information on the dragons, at least the three dragons of House Targaryen. Balerion was the oldest and the only one to have been born while Valyria was still alive, but was the biggest and most powerful, his dragonbreath being enough to wipe out the ironborn at Rook's Rest. No more information could be gained of the other two dragons, Vhagar and Meraxes as they were called, other than Rhaenys Targaryen enjoying riding on her dragon more than her siblings. As for the last dragon, Cloudwynd as it was called, Maester Harrion knew nothing.

Moving back to current events, Loren Lannister found out that the seat of House Bracken was slighted and burned by dragonfire after their defection, their error being that they followed Jaenyx's orders and emptied their lands of all of their troops. _If you were going to defect, why follow his orders_? Apparently, it didn't cross their minds that there would be repercussions to their actions and they didn't expect their former overlords in reacting so swiftly and ruthlessly. _One thing the Valyrians are doing right: they don't show mercy to traitors_. Regardless of the recent occurings, Loren Lannister decided to use the Brackens' angers against the Valyrians to his advantage by making them the first wave of attack in the upcoming battle. The Pipers were much more controlled and Loren held them back, as he would need them should the Brackens act too rashly.

At the same time, Loren Lannister kept a connection with the Poor Fellows via his septon, who he made in giving him the names of all of the Poor Fellows operating in the riverlands. Information was key and he would be damned before he let a holy man control how he got it. But the reports were quite… troubling. Broden Tully, nephew of Edmyn Tully, Lord of Riverrun, had been supplying the Poor Fellows with weapons and food, citing his reason being that Dragonstone did not do enough to help the Faith in the riverlands and was doing what his lord uncle was too cowardly to do. While Loren Lannister welcomed dissent among the ranks of his adversaries, he couldn't deny that Broden Tully acted stupidly. _Did he honestly think his scheme would work when he had no strong source of help_? The Poor Fellows reported that Broden Tully was captured Jaenyx Belaerys' agents and taken as a hostage against Edmyn Tully, who they now distrusted as he failed to control his nephew. Their army was encamped around Riverrun, both to intimidate House Tully and to prepare for the inevitable battle against the armies of the Rock.

Loren Lannister would never admit it to his other generals, but he was… a little nervous about the upcoming battle. All four dragons had been spotted and he knew that his army would have no chance in a battle. However, that's when it hit him! All of the battles involving dragons occurred with some daylight, with the battle that killed King Argilac being an exception since the dragons killed his missile troops but let the ground troops of Dragonstone take care of the rest. _I wonder, what happens if I decide to fight them at night_? So, he slowed his army's march, quickening their pace only during the dusk and using the night to mask his troops. Black Harren didn't notice and died. King Argilac had luck, but he died also.

Loren Lannister also had a representative from Braavos consult him. He had sent a raven to the Iron Bank requesting a loan, prompting them to send a representative to Lannisport, along with a specialist that was said to have knowledge on how to counter dragons. The Iron Bank representative, Sallos Paenel, stated that the bank was prepared to offer an initial loan that would be enough to supplement the campaign for three moons. While the Iron Bank had confidence in Loren Lannister's abilities as a king and commander, they were not prepared to give him the amount he needed to avoid strain on his own treasury, as the war was just beginning. They also requested a complete cancellation of all trade duties for goods coming from Braavos to Lannisport for a period of ten years, but Loren Lannister managed to negotiate a partial cancellation for twenty-five years, as the merchants in Lannisport would be in an uproar. Kings who neglected the merchants risked financial ruin, as nobles only knew a few ways to make money while merchants were gifted with a wealth of knowledge on how to make coin from various sources outside of land.

In return, Braavos turned over thirty of its ships to House Lannister and had contacted a specialist from Slaver's Bay, a Ghiscari sellsword named Shaqnal zo Rhola. A veteran of the many conflicts in the Disputed Lands and a native from Yunkai, he was one of the more well-read sellswords Loren Lannister met. He had studied the wars between Ghiscar and Valyria, of which not much could be gleaned due to the lack of significant texts pertaining to that period. However, having little knowledge of dragons was better than having none, so Loren Lannister put Shaqnal on a retainer and secured permission from the Citadel for him to go through their historical texts.

Shaqnal quickly found a solution, which he got from reading of the Rhoynish wars with Valyria, of which there were many texts. A common tactic that the Rhoynish employed was to hug the Valyrian troops on the ground as closely as they could, more exactly "to grab them by the belt buckle." The dragons were devastating on the field of battle, but the dragonriders wouldn't risk burning their adversaries if it meant burning their own troops as well. At the same time, getting as close to the Valyrian troops as possible was easier said than done, as the dragons had excellent line of sight during daylight and would be able to tell friend from foe. So Shaqnal zo Rhola recommended that they attack the enemy army at night, as the dragons wouldn't be able to see as well without daylight and the dragonriders might withhold their dragons for fear of hurting their own troops.

Such was the reason why Loren Lannister had his troops wear bright red tunics at night, as they couldn't risk being seen by one of their dragons if they used torches and having them train to fight during twilight hours. He chose twilight because his troops would have enough light to engage in close combat, but he gambled that it wouldn't be enough for the dragons to cause serious damage.

Of course, having the army march during the dying light of the day had its own difficulties. Using an advance guard to guide the way without torches despite wearing the brightest red sashes available did nothing to prevent confusion among the ranks and Loren Lannister had to personally get involved in keeping them in line. At the same time, he was doing something that none of the other rulers who fought against the dragons had done before and it was never going to go smoothly. Still, he was thankful that at least most of his troops were able to remain on the march before the advance guard came upon the Dragonstone encampment. Just as expected, there were banners from the stormlords, riverlords who remained loyal, and those from around the Blackwater Bay. But strangely, none of the four dragons were seen. _What are they up to_?

Knowing that attacking the Dragonstone forces even while they were encamped Riverrun was folly, Loren Lannister decided to make them come to him. North of Riverrun was the Blackwood Vale, which he would send part of the riverlander force following him as well as his light infantry and cavalry. To the south of the fortress lay thick forests, which he would use to disguise his primary infantry and cavalry. The goal was to encircle the Dragonstone banners, getting them distracted in the north while he would strike from the south. No army was able to take Riverrun without suffering heavy casualties, but that didn't stop the dragons from burning Black Harren and most of his sons alive at his vanity project. He could only guess that Edmyn Tully, Lord of Riverrun, had no knowledge of his nephew's actions and thus Lord Belaerys and his Targaryen family had surrounded the fortress in order to force an explanation from him. He relied on Riverrun acting as an anchor for his adversaries, as they wouldn't be able to maneuver freely around the deep moat of the castle and once they were close enough, their dragons wouldn't be able to strike due to a lack of sufficient daylight and to avoid burning their own troops.

Loren Lannister went over his plan with his generals, most of whom accepted. Except for Weslar Reyne. "Any doubts you have, Lord Reyne?"

"Yes, Your Grace," the Lord of Castamere affirmed. "We'll be fighting under the cover of night. While that may offer protection against the dragons, there is a possibility they may be entrenched enough to resist our advances. What if they don't fall for the attack from the north? What if they realize that our real attack will originate from the forests of the south?"

"As much as I disagree with Lord Reyne on many matters, I have to voice the same concerns, my king," Lord Lefford joined in. "Aegon Targaryen, Orys Baratheon, Jaenyx Belaerys, and their women have proven to be very competent commanders in the field. They would not have been able to defeat forces three times their size if they were able to fall so easily to feints."

"Not to mention that we haven't seen their dragons in flight. Even with night, they could still cause heavy casualties among our troops with their dragonfire," Lord Marbrand added.

"I would suggest that we halt our advance and wait for them to come to us. If that happens, we can control what field we meet them on," Lord Emory Lannister of Lannisport suggested.

"No," Loren Lannister shook his head. "We will not halt our advance, Emory. And we shall follow the plan I formed. But remember that I had the assistance of a Ghiscari sellsword, one who is well-versed in how dragons were used in the days of old Valyria. While more solutions are being developed, the only viable one that could be applied is to use the cover of night to attack the Valyrians and their other vassals. That way, we can get close enough to their troops so as to prevent their dragons from causing too much damage."

"But Your Grace," Lord Reyne looked at him straight. "Many of our troops will die at least, because even if we do get close enough, not all of our troops will have the same protection and there'll be nothing to stop them from turning into ashes."

"You're correct, my lord," Lore Lannister nodded. "But would you have the possibility of a victory at the cost of thousands, or risk it by not fighting and thus endangering all of us? We are not the Rhoynish or the Ghiscari, and even they eventually fell to the dragons. Besides, any losses we suffer can easily be replaced by men from the riverlands who follow the Faith and merely need to see that the dragons could be beat. Already, they've turned against the Tullys, who are still wavering. If we can show them that we could win, then we would have the Red Fork secured and other riverlords will follow."

"I would not be so sure of the riverlords' loyalty, Your Grace," Lord Lefford stated. "They were sworn to Black Harren, but once his army was defeated at Wailing Willows, many of them rose up, including the Brackens." He stared hard at the defectors, which earned him a hard scowl from Prestan Bracken. "This is a very shifty region and while that may be advantageous for us at the moment, it may not be so in the future."

"How dare you, Lord Lefford!" bellowed Prestan Bracken. "We follow the Faith and as fellow brothers of the Seven, we chose to side with the ones who would reinvigorate the Faith in this fallen region and to drive foreigners away from this continent."

"Then why didn't you do that when the Hoares, worshipers of the Drowned God, took your region over?"

Prestan Bracken's face reddened, as his house's betrayal of Agnes Blackwood was well-known and he couldn't claim to have a strong sense of loyalty given his and the region's tendency to switch allegiances. "We had… practical considerations-"

"Oh, you mean Dragonstone favoring your traditional rivals the Blackwoods for being the first to rise up against Black Harren?" Lord Reyne asked bitingly. "I would choose a Blackwood man over a Bracken, as at least the Blackwoods could be trusted to fight for their beliefs instead of self-serving horse-breeders like yourself."

Prestan Bracken reached for his sword at Lord Reyne's insult to his house, only for him to be stopped by Loren Lannister slamming hard on the table. "ENOUGH! This petty squabble is getting us nowhere. Thank you for making your opinions known, my lords, but understand this: I am in command, but I never make decisions without getting the best advice available. I will not countenance dissent amongst my ranks, for I will send the heads of the loudest ones back to their families for being oathbreakers. All of your loyalties are to House Lannister, and therefore you owe your allegiance to me. We shall have attack at twilight. Understood?" All of the lords gradually nodded their assent. "Then let us prepare. We have a battle on our hands."

* * *

Loren Lannister and his personal guard took up positions in the forests south of Riverrun. While he was past his prime and could not wield his sword as ably as before, appearances mattered and his troops wouldn't really respect him if he didn't show himself being ready to take the same risks as his soldiers. Clad in red armor with lion-faced shoulder pads, a red sash over his torso, and a golden helm that also had a crown on top, he clutched the longsword on his left side tightly, the one made from Valyrian steel that he purchased from a Dragonstone bannerman in Lannisport. He knew that it was a tradition for great houses to own a Valyrian steel weapon and after Tommen Lannister lost Brightroar on his ill-advised trip to Valyria, House Lannister was bereft of their heirloom. It was no Brightroar, but Liontooth was a proper heirloom of the King of the Rock with its golden pommel and lion's head pommel.

Loren Lannister carefully kept his main troops hidden in the forest while he made the troops from the northern approach as visible as he could. He changed his mind on having the Brackens being the vanguard, as he realized that their anger in losing their home to Dragonstone would be better utilized in the thick of the fight. He had Piper bannerman alongside those from Houses Moreland, Lefford Payne, and Banefort comprise the troops coming from the north alongside a large continent of Poor Fellows that were hastily-armed with swords, spears, and axes. He expected the Poor Fellows to suffer heavy casualties, but promised compensation to Lords Moreland, Lefford Payne, and Banefort should they suffer heavy casualties. He gambled on the Dragonstone forces to turn their attention northwards, thus leaving their southern approach relatively open.

While the attack from the north would comprise of a total of ten thousand men, Loren Lannister led the main forces comprised of troops from House Reyne, Marbrand, Westerling, Crakehall, alongside those from House Bracken and a mounted contingent of Warrior's Sons, totalling thirty thousand men. He would start the attack from the south with a missile barrage and a cavalry charge, allowing the Warrior's Sons to take the lead while following up with formations from the other houses of the Rock. Once they've done enough damage to the enemy lines, they would proceed with an attack comprising of infantry. Eventually, the cavalry would regroup and attempt to extend their lines to eventually encircle the enemy towards the Red Fork, thus cutting them off from retreat and destroying their main army. It should've been simple enough.

As Loren Lannister waited in the treeline, he felt the distinctive rumble of troops marching to their positions and knew for certain that the attack from the north had begun. He exhaled, trying to control his nervousness as he never fought against dragons. But the lack of proper daylight should work to his advantage, as dusk left both armies at the mercy of the night.

Suddenly, the King of the Rock hear battle cries and louder rumbling as troops from the northern approach charged against the enemy lines. But before they could close the distance, he heard screeches pierce the air and the loud flaps of what he suspected were dragon wings. Looking to the sky, he could make four black shapes descending towards the north bank of the Red Fork. Then, streams of dragonfire pierced through the darkness of the night, a concoction of blue, black, yellow, and orange pouring down on the troops and turning many into ash while those unlucky to have not died in the initial fire were left screaming into the dirt.

However unfortunate those losses were, those troops had fulfilled their intended purpose in distracting the enemy to the north. Loren Lannister raised his right hand before pointing towards the enemy lines on the south. "Cavalry, forward!" Lord Crakehall yelled as the mounted knights of the Rock and the Warrior's Sons galloped steadily towards the enemy.

"Archers ready," Loren Lannister ordered.

"Archers, nock!" Lord Marbrand shouted as three thousand bowmen lighted their arrows with fire and drew back on their bows. With a nod from the King of the Rock, Lord Marbrand yelled, "Loose!"

Thousands of lit arrows hurled through the night sky as they descended upon the enemy and many finding their marks. However, Loren Lannister noticed that there wasn't a lot of screams of pain coming from their lines, which he found… odd. He quickly shook it off, as he ordered the archers to ready one more volley before the cavalry double-timed their charge towards the enemy line. Two thousand cavalry cried out as their lances lowered and shouts such as "For the Seven!" echoed across the darkened field.

What Loren Lannister did not expect was several cries of pain following the charge. Squinting his eyes, he saw many of the cavalry being run through by pikes and many others being unhorsed and finished off by the enemy infantry. That's when he realized it. _They must've expected us to at least attack with cavalry from the south_. However, he knew that the plan must continue despite the cavalry charge not producing the expected results and acted quickly.

"Prepare the infantry for combat!" Loren Lannister ordered. "And get word to Lord Westerling. Time to extend the lines."

"Yes, Your Grace," Lord Marbrand affirmed before galloping off.

"Archers, cover the advance," Loren Lannister commanded as he drew Liontooth. "Infantry, forward!" While the cavalry charge did not go as planned, the enemy focusing on them should keep them occupied long enough to bring up his fresh infantry formations. He only had to get his troops close enough to the enemy lines, as that would prevent them from suffering the same fate as their comrades in the northern approach.

A rider approached Loren as the infantry closed the distance with the enemy, with the close combat turning more fierce. "Your Grace," the rider bowed. "They're slowly pushing our cavalry back. But they're proceeding with a counterattack against our advancing infantry."

_That should keep them pinned. _"Get word to Lord Westerling. Tell him to continue extending the lines until they reach the southern bank of the river. Once that happens, tell him to punch through the enemy's left flank."

"Yes, Your Grace!" the rider galloped off.

"You," Loren Lannister turned to a rider on his left. "Inform Lord Marbrand. Tell him to have the infantry slowly walk backwards while keeping the enemy engaged. I'll have archers let loose another volley."

"But, Your Grace. Wouldn't we kill our own men that way?" the rider questioned.

"Either that, or we all die by dragonfire. Just follow the fucking order and we'll live!" Loren Lannister barked. The rider did not hesitate and rode off. "Archers, nock!" he shouted. He wanted to let off one more volley before involving them and himself into the fray, as he gathered that he and the archers would be targets for the dragons if they remained in one place for too long.

Another rider approached, this one bearing the colors of House Marbrand. "Your Grace, we're keeping them engaged but we're getting closer to your position. Lord Marbrand is merely awaiting your volley."

"Good," Loren Lannister nodded and turned to the bowmen. He couldn't see well in the darkening twilight, but he could wear the clash of swords and thumps against shields get closer to his position. Then, he saw the backs of the rear rank of his infantry formations. "Volley, loose!" Flaming arrows pierced through the night as like the last volley, many found their marks. However, his attention was diverted by the screech of dragons. Hearing the flaps of their wings, he guessed that the dragons found out his position and now was the time to join the fray.

"Archers, engage! Do not let the dragons burn you!" Loren Lannister commanded as he urged his horse forward and Liontooth in hand. While some bowmen were quick enough, many others were too late and the King of the Rock felt a very intense heat on his back as dragonfire burned his archers to ash. He had only just avoided them.

Squinting his eyes, Loren Lannister looked to his right and made out the distinctive seashells of House Westerling. He had guessed correctly that the enemy was distracted in the south and north, but didn't have the troops to cover their left flank. Him using the men of the Crag to punch through their relatively undermanned flank had paid off, as the enemy troops fighting on the south bank was in danger of being encircled. _All that is needed now is to close the loop_.

But before he could send in troops to reinforce Lord Westerling, Loren Lannister heard another dragon roar and a stream of blue fire burned through a part of the Westerling advance and his right flank. This was followed by a stream of black flame going the opposite direction, preventing the men of the Rock from advancing further. Scanning the field, he saw the enemy moving between the streams of fire and saw what they were doing. _They're withdrawing. They're close to being encircled and we're too close to their troops for their dragons to do enough damage, so they're falling back_. He found Lord Marbrand. "My lord, take a contingent of cavalry with you and pursue the enemy. Cut off their escape."

"Yes, my king," Lord Marbrand complied.

To their credit, the enemy held off his infantry and cavalry just long enough for their comrades to escape between the flames and withdraw themselves. Lord Marbrand returned quicker than he expected. "Why aren't you going after the enemy?"

"Heavy resistance, Your Grace," Lord Marbrand breathed out. "They have mounted archers, which they used to take out many of the cavalry before we were forced to pull back."

"How many did you think withdrew successfully?"

"I estimate nineteen thousand men, Your Grace."

_Damn it! They still have an army, meaning they will fight another day_. Loren Lannister calmed himself, as he was still able to accomplish something by driving the enemy back.

Just then, Lord Westerling, his armor covered in black soot, came up to him. "My Lord Westerling," Loren Lannister addressed him.

"Your Grace, I am sorry. I failed to make an effective breach on their left flank," he answered with contrition.

Loren Lannister normally would have punished failure, but he also understood that he performed to his best given the circumstances, so he willed thoughts of punishment away from him. "You've done well, my lord. House Westerling's valor will be remembered today."

Lord Westerling bowed. "Thank you, Your Grace."

Another rider approached, this time being Emory Lannister of Lannisport. "My king," he bowed. "We've got a prisoner with us."

"So?"

"I think you should see for yourself, Your Grace."

Curious, Loren Lannister followed Emory Lannister towards the southern bank of the Red Fork. There, he saw an armored man with a red and yellow sash over his torso and blood over his face on his knees and his hands tied. He had black hair and black eyes, but was unafraid and instead was very calm. He looked back at Loren not with defiance but with a hard stare.

"Who is he?" Loren asked Emory Lannister.

"This," Emory Lannister walked to the kneeling man and grabbed his hair to jerk his head back. "Is the bastard of Dragonstone, upjumped to Lord of Storm's End. Orys Baratheon."

"How did you find him?" Bastard or not, he was a valuable prisoner and Loren Lannister wanted to get him into his own custody quickly.

"He killed ten of our men when he tried to escape between the flames before one of our knights collided with his horse and got him to the ground. He then punched another in the teeth, knocking out some from his mouth, before our men were able to secure him."

"How do you know it's Orys Baratheon?"

"He had this with him," Emory Lannister handed to Loren a large warhammer made of Valyrian steel. If he remembered correctly, Orys Baratheon wielded a weapon like that in his expedition to the Stepstones.

"Thank you, Emory. I shall reward you and the others at Lannisport accordingly." Emory Lannister nodded his thanks before Loren Lannister walked up to Orys and squatted in front of him. "Good to meet you, Lord Orys."

"You must be the King of the Rock," Orys Baratheon stated evenly.

"That's 'Your Grace' to you, bastard," Lord Marbrand scolded before he spat at his face.

"There, there, my lord," Loren Lannister stopped him. "He's a prisoner and bastard, so we must move past it when he has lapses in decorum." He turned back to Orys. "Looks like you don't have much loyalty amongst the stormlords. They left you to be captured by us."

Orys sighed, but more out of annoyance. "If you're going to kill me or ransom me, let us go through that quickly. Don't waste your breath with talk."

"You are speaking to-" Lord Emory stepped forward before Loren Lannister held up a hand to stop him.

"I have other things planned for you, Lord Orys," Loren Lannister smiled. "You're more useful as my captive and I'm not sure if your family can pay your ransom, for it is not gold I seek."

"What is it, then?" Orys asked.

"More than what your family can give, I presume," Loren cryptically replied before turning to his personal guard. "Take him away." As Orys Baratheon was led off the field, the men of the Rock cheered for their first victory against the dragons.

* * *

Loren Lannister opened negotiations with Lord Edmyn Tully and allowed him to keep his castle and titles if he bent the knee to House Lannister in perpetuity. Still fearful for his nephew's life, he was reluctant to make a decision that would put him and his house in jeopardy should the dragons return. However, Loren Lannister promised to get his nephew back but warned him that he had thousands of troops surrounding Riverrun, all of whom were fresh from battle and would not hesitate in fighting again. With some hesitation, Edmyn Tully bent the knee to his house and thus securing the Red Fork.

Loren Lannister received reports from throughout the riverlands over the next two weeks. While there were some riverlords who would remain loyal to Dragonstone because they liberated the region from the rule of Black Harren, key houses such as the Freys of the Twins, both branches of House Vance, and the Rootes came in person to bend the knee to House Lannister. Two houses remained defiant to his incoming advance, the Mallisters of Seagard and the Blackwoods of Raventree Hall. While he was confident that he could have the Mallisters switch sides, the Blackwoods holding out was a cause for concern, as they were among the most powerful of the riverland houses. He had Prestan Bracken lead the force to ravage the Blackwood Vale, but he lacked confidence that they could actually storm their keep. He would send reinforcements later, but not now.

For now, Loren Lannister occupied himself with his valuable prisoner, Orys Baratheon, who he had locked in the dungeons of Riverrun. The dungeons of the great castle were windowless and damp, and their doors heavy and made of wood and iron, which was lacking in comparison to the dungeons at Casterly Rock. But it would do.

Accompanying Loren Lannister was his kennelmaster, who he relied on many trips and who always kept three black dogs with him. He needed his muscle for what he intended to do Orys Baratheon. He had his shirt ripped off and his hands tied to the wooden plank in front of him. Rolling his sleeves, he approached the Lord of Storm's End with a pair of tongs in his hand.

"My lord," Loren Lannister addressed him. "What do you know about the torture methods used by the Good Masters of Astapor on incorrigible slaves? Hmmm? What's your guess on the first method?"

"What are you on about?" Orys asked with some confusion. That prompted the kennelmaster to backhand him hard across the face, which he recovered from with a grunt.

"The first method is the water dungeon, which works by having drops of water impact on the forehead, which would make the slave go insane over an extended period but we don't have time for that. The second method? That involves twisting the arm and putting the slave's face in their own shit, which I can imagine would not be very pleasant for any sane man." Loren Lannister looked at Orys, who still looked at him with confusion. "I thought so. You're a warrior and you're dealt with actual shit before, so that wouldn't really work. But what about the third method? Now, that is called 'pulling nails from fingers'. What do you think, my lord? Does that sound preferable to you?" Loren Lannister twirled the tongs around, but he saw Orys' eyes widen. Whether it was from fear or shock was irrelevant at the moment. "The purpose of these methods was to get the slaves or whoever dared to strike against the masters to become more obedient, as scars are very effective reminders. What if I had to get you to become obedient? That would be pretty difficult, wouldn't it? You are the blood of old Valyria after all, even if it's diluted." He saw Orys clench his teeth. "But what if I gave you an option, where we wouldn't have to resort the third method?"

"And what would that be?" Orys asked.

Loren Lannister pulled out a scroll from his pocket. "I will make you a deal. These are documents concerning a marriage annulment. I understand that your wedding ceremony to Argella Durrandon involved aspects of the Faith, which makes your union under the jurisdiction of the Starry Sept. I want you to sign the documents declaring your union to Argella Durrandon void. Whether it was consummated or not does not matter at this point."

Orys perched an eyebrow. "What do you have to gain from me annulling my marriage to Argella?"

Loren Lannister caught how he used her first name, but put it aside. "It won't be me that'll benefit, but my ally, King Mern Gardener. He never forgot Argilac killing his uncle, Garse Gardener, at Summerfield and he sees his family ruling his former kingdom as the ultimate vengeance. He wants his son and heir, Edmund, to marry Argella, thus uniting the Storm and Reach kingdoms by marriage. I'm doing this as a favor to him."

"All right," Orys nodded. "You said you have a deal with me. You said what you wanted. What do I get?"

"One way or another, the dragons will be defeated, as the Rock, the Reach, and the Vale can command armies many times their size. But you still can get something out of it. If you sign these documents, I will persuade Queen Sharra Arryn to legitimize you and make you Orys Targaryen, Lord of Dragonstone. You will swear fealty to the Arryns as the new overlords over the Blackwater Bay and she will find you a suitable wife to marry. It's a generous deal, my lord, and one I would seriously-" But he was interrupted when Orys spit in his face.

Orys scoffed. "I thought lions were supposed to be smart, but I never saw a more thickheaded move than today. I might be a bastard, but they are my family and I will burn myself in hells before I betray them."

Wiping off his spit from his cheek, Loren Lannister suddenly felt rage surge through him. Dropping the tongs, he pulled out his dagger. "Forget the nails! You will sign those documents even if I have to spill every drop of blood from you and break your bones!" He then took his dagger and cut through each digit in Orys' pinky, causing him to grunt in pain, but barely.

Calming himself after Loren Lannister cut off the second digit of his pinky, Orys spat at him again. "Come, King Loren! I know that you're not doing this because of the Faith. You don't look like one of those Seven-Pointed Star thumpers."

"Shut up," Loren Lannister responded. "Will you sign those documents now?"

"Fuck you!" Orys defiantly shouted. That cost him what was left of his pinky and Loren Lannister proceeded to his ring finger. Three more times Loren Lannister tried to make him sign the documents and at the end of thee times, Orys also had his ring finger chopped off gradually. To keep him conscious, Loren Lannister got a handful of salt and rubbed against where his fingers once were, causing even louder grunts of pain.

Getting tired, Loren Lannister turned to his kennelmaster, who merely used his hands for such events. He proceeded to punch Orys Baratheon savagely and repeatedly in the face. "You fucking fuck, fucking fuck, stupid fuck, what the fuck, this is a war! Fuck, YOU'RE A PRISONER of FUCKING WAR! Give him the signature!" He then backhanded Orys hard, causing him and the chair to tip over to the floor, and blood to drip from the many punctures on his face that resulted from the punches. Wiping off sweat from his brow, he went to one of the knives in his belt. "I'm cutting his fucking head off, Your Grace."

"You'll do no such thing," Loren Lannister calmly said as he wiped off his hands with a rag. "I'll take him to Casterly Rock, where I can continue my conversation with him." With that, he exited the dungeon to resume his meetings with the lords of the Rock.

**The battle was based on the battle of Sedan (1870), but if the French had dragons, they would've been able to break out the Prussian encirclement and live to fight another day. And I hope that I showcased the limitations of the dragons well, a strategy that was based on the Vietnamese during the Vietnam War, "grab them by the belt buckle", in order to negate American air power by getting so close to their troops that they wouldn't attack without causing blue-on-blue. And the addition of the Ghiscari sellsword is important, since he was the one that recommended attacking during the night since the dragons wouldn't have much sunlight to use, and we see Maester Harrion turning on his former lords. **

**That torture scene was inspired by SYRIANA (2005), which I saw for the first time when I was eleven. That scene was... disturbing first time I watched it. But Orys getting captured and tortured is essential to the plot, as Jaenyx and the Targaryens will understand that there can be no negotiation, as one of their family was harmed. And better Orys lose some of his fingers than his hand. **

**Next, we see chaos amongst the ranks of Dragonstone.**


	30. Visenya VII

**To all the readers, thank you so much for your patience and support! I've been busy over the weekend with academics and thus explaining the slight delay, but I also want to take more time in producing quality chapters. You guys deserve only the best I can. **

**With ado, here is the next chapter.**

VISENYA VII

"They have our brother," Visenya heard Aegon mutter with his back turned to the council. Their army was nearly encircled at Riverrun and would have been destroyed had it not been for Cloudwynd and Balerion clearing a path for their troops to withdraw. Still, they had suffered five thousand casualties, stormlanders rivermen who remained loyal comprising the majority and the Valyrians the minority. Among them was Orys, who had been captured after he attempted to withdraw with his men, and the enemy had sent them a raven that demanded a parley after making them aware that they had him.

"They do, my lord." The messenger's voice was dulled by exhaustion. On the breast of his torn surcoat, the silver eagle of Seagard was half-obscured by dried blood.

_They better not hurt Orys, or there will be fire and blood raining down upon them_, Visenya thought. She took a sip of wine and did not say a word, thinking of Orys. Pain shot through her elbow when she readjusted Dark Sister on her waist, reminding her of how close they were to a decisive defeat. Acting on behalf of their lord father, Aegon assembled their captains and leading bannermen, all of whom had fallen silent as the courier told his tale of how the Lord of Storm's End, their brother, had managed to kill ten men before he was forced to the ground by Lannister bannermen. The only sound was the crackle and hiss of the log burning in the hearth at the end of the long, drafty common room within Saltpans' keep.

And more bad news had reached them from Riverrun days ago. Edmyn Tully had bent the knee to King Loren, thus securing the Red Fork for the Lannisters. _Does he not understand that we have his nephew and thus kill him for his uncle breaking his oaths? _Visenya thought darkly.

"How could this happen?" Lord Rosby moaned. "How? Your house secured the entirety of Blackwater Bay with dragons and you killed Black Harren at Harrenhal with dragons. We killed the forces of King Argilac with dragons … how could your house be defeated by those who do not command such beasts?"

"Watch yourself, my lord," Rhaenys warned. "You are referring to the house you're sworn to. And do not call our dragons 'beasts.'"

_More than what can be said of you, you craven_, Visenya silently responded to Jon Rosby. They might have suffered a defeat at Riverrun, but it angered her to hear her house be insulted by pissants like Jon Rosby, who didn't even draw any of his blades when the dragons flew over.

"You forget, Lord Rosby," Jaenyx responded, a good deal more calmly than Visenya might have but also showing contempt with his address to Jon Rosby. "We still have an intact army and all of our dragons remain in perfect condition. King Loren might have driven us back at Riverrun, but he lost thousands more than we did and my agents report that some of his key houses like the Leffords and the Paynes have been crippled and therefore unable to participate in further campaigning. So, with his forces dealt a blow like that despite us having to withdraw, can it really be counted as a victory?"

"Lord Belaerys speaks truly, my lords," the courier said. "I was able to infiltrate the burial grounds for the Lannister host and counted at least fifteen thousand corpses be buried. Among them was Lord Lefford himself, whose body had been so blackened by fire that even his heir had trouble identifying him. In addition, the Poor Fellows were dealt a blow at Riverrun, so they will not be able to operate at full capacity for a time."

"But that's not counting the riverland houses that have defected to the Lannisters," Crispian Celtigar pointed out. Indeed, while the battle at Riverrun might not have been a crushing defeat, it might as well have been given the number of houses in the region that switched sides. The most concerning were the Freys of the Twins and the Harroways, both of whom controlled the two of most important locations in the Trident. Fortunately, they acted quickly for the latter, with Visenya riding atop Vhagar to Harroway and prompting the townfolk to turn on their lord, thus securing the town.

"With the addition of the forces of the riverland houses that have now defected, King Loren can easily supplement his numbers and continue the campaign," Crispian continued.

Lord Dondarrion shook his head. "That's easier said than done. Even he can reinforce his army with those houses, there are two houses besides the Darrys that have remained: the Blackwoods and the Mallisters." The Mallister courier nodded his thanks to the marcher lord of Blackhaven. "The Mallisters will never side with King Loren as long as he is aligned with the ironborn, and the same could be said of the Blackwoods in regards to the Brackens. That leaves two important locations that King Loren will have to secure before he can turn his attention fully onto us."

Aegon turned his face to study Lord Dondarrion. Visenya saw a glimmer as the light reflected off her brother's irises, but she caught how Aegon lips curved slightly upward. Visenya couldn't help but copy his gesture, as it showed that their brother had at least one lord who remained loyal to him. And Lord Dondarrion spoke the truth. Both the Blackwood Vale and Seagard would be very difficult to take and secure, thus delaying King Loren from advancing further against them.

Aegon was oft quiet in council, preferring to listen before he spoke, a habit that he shared with Jaenyx. Yet this silence was uncharacteristic even for him, and his wine was untouched, not that he was quick to drink but that made the rest of their bannermen nervous.

"Well, now we know that dragons have limitations at night," Alyn Stokeworth prompted.

Visenya narrowed her eyes. "What are you insinuating, my lord?"

That surprised him, as the Lord of Stokeworth shook his head. "I wasn't insinuating anything, my lady. I am just pointing out that our greatest assets might have caused a lot of damage even at night, but our army had to retreat. It won't take long for the enemy to figure out that the dragons cannot be used to their full potential at night."

"That's hardly the most important detail, Lord Alyn," Daemon Velaryon spoke up. "It appears that we may have… underestimated the skill and resolve of King Loren and his bannermen. He must've figured that we would have struck at the north bank of the Red Fork first given the larger enemy presence, thus distracting us from the southern approach and his more well equipped troops. Even still, our schiltrons on the southern banks were able to hold them long enough before we could withdraw in good order."

Visenya saw that Lord Dondarrion was growing impatient. "We could discuss our current situation all day long, but I think we're forgetting the most important fact right now. Lord Baratheon is now a prisoner of King Loren. As the Lord of Storm's End and one of the most able commanders that we have, it is imperative that we get him back by any means necessary."

Visenya nodded her approval. While she remained distrustful of his intentions when he first arrived at her name-day celebrations, Lord Dondarrion was showing himself to be very loyal to their brother. It proved that Orys had used his time as a lord well.

"Lord Orys taken, Riverrun lost to the enemy as well as other key areas in the region … this is a catastrophe!" Lord Darry exclaimed. "I am sure we are all grateful to you for pointing out the obvious, Lord Dondarrion. The question is, what shall we do about it?"

"What can we do?" Jon Rosby posed. "While our own host is intact, we are outnumbered in the region and our key allies besieged. I don't have a lot of confidence in the Blackwoods and the Mallisters holding out indefinitely." The Mallister courier scowled at the Rosby lord's disrespect to his liege. "Our lines have been reduced to this small town and Black Harren's vanity project. The Lannisters can strike at us in this town and at Harrenhal and we wouldn't be able to stop even with dragons. And that's not including the Valemen and the Gardeners who have finally made serious advances against us. They can march on the Blackwater Bay if they want to. My lords, we are beaten. We must sue for peace."

"Peace?!" Visenya felt so much rage for Jon Rosby, who she had to browbeat constantly to get him to contribute and now he was suggesting an action that would make them look weak, a suggestion that finally made her explode by picking up her wine glass and hurling it at the Rosby lord, who ducked just in time to avoid the glass pieces shattering onto him, but everyone was afraid of the dragon that had made itself known.

"There's your fucking peace, Lord Jon! The High Septon declared a holy war on Valyrians, a people that your liege is a part of. You'll have an easier time drinking wine from that cup compared to persuading those of the Faith, particularly the rulers who have declared for them, to not kill us. Plus, they have our brother and who knows what they're doing to him?"

"In addition," Jaenyx insisted. "The Lannisters, and by extension the Faith, have only won one battle. And while our lines might have shrunk, that makes it easier for our forces to hold and our allies at Raventree Hall and Seagard are keeping the enemy from going forward. We are far from lost."

"Perhaps they would consent to a truce, and allow us to trade our prisoners for theirs," offered Lord Darry.

"And who do you suggest we offer up?" Visenya asked acidly. "And what are we to offer for my brother?"

"For starters, you have Broden Tully under your control," Lord Darry said hopefully. "If we were to offer Edmyn Tully his nephew back, we might be in a position where—"

A hand slammed down on the table, this time from Rhaenys, who was also getting increasingly infuriated at some of their lords folding easily to setbacks. "If you really think that returning Broden Tully to his uncle would get Riverrun back in our fold, you're a bigger fool than I thought you were. Edmyn Tully has bent the knee to King Loren and thus broke our oaths to our house. Do you need reminding on what happens to oathbreakers in Westeros?"

Lord Darry became quiet out of fear for Rhaenys' fury, which surprised most as they didn't expect that from their young sister due to her being the epitome of grace and charm. _They really don't understand that she is a dragon, just like the rest of us_, mused Visenya.

Daemon snorted disdainfully at Lord Darry's suggestions. "I would also remind you that Edmyn Tully is now sworn to the Lannisters and therefore cannot conduct independent action without leave from his new king. Besides, King Loren would have to be an utter ass to trade the Lord of Storm's End for the life of a buffoon trout."

"Then we must ransom Lord Baratheon, whatever it costs," Lord Stokeworth said. Visenya rolled her eyes, as did Lord Dondarrion. Even though he wanted his liege returned safely, he knew that ransoming a major lord like Orys would have sent a very bad message to their enemies and his other vassals.

"I would caution against any notion of ransoming, Lord Alyn," Crispian warned. "Orys is the Lord Paramount of the Stormlands. There's no guarantee that the Lannisters would even agree to ransom him, as he is among our ablest commanders and thus a threat to his Gardener and Arryn allies alongside the ironborn. Even if they do, we might be hard-pressed to meet the terms of the ransom, as they would hold advantage and thus be in a position to demand crushing terms for his release."

"If we ask for a truce, they will think us weak," Arata Haru argued, with the Harus finally being allowed into their councils with Jaenyx's and Visenya's urging despite the other lords bristling at having to share a space with a foreigner. "We need to strike back at our enemies to bring the momentum back to us."

"With what troops, Lord Haru?" Jon Rosby questioned. "Our forces are over-extended. Besides the situation here, there were only a few thousand men to guard against the Gardeners in the Red Mountains, but they had to retreat when Prince Edmund Gardener arrived in force."

"Plus, there is word that the knights of the Vale have now joined the fight, crossing the Green Fork at the Twins and atop pontoon bridges across the river," Lord Alyn added. "We don't have the strength left to hold off both the Lannisters and the Arryns from the east and north and the Gardeners from the south. We need a truce with the Faith alliance before we become overwhelmed."

"Surely, the dragons could be flown to the Green Fork and burn the Valemen before they could reinforce the Lannisters, my lords," said the Mallister courier.

"It won't be that simple the next time, man," Daemon said. "Our enemies will certainly utilize the same strategy employed by King Loren at Riverrun. We might not have the same success that we have enjoyed before from here on out."

"And that's not including that we're facing an expert tactician and strategist in King Loren," Crispian added.

"As I said, we can always negotiate with King Loren," Jon Rosby reentered the discussion. "We all know that the King Loren is not the most pious to the Faith and that this holy war is driven by political ambitions. Maybe we should accept this parley from King Loren and see what he wants."

"If his terms are acceptable," Alyn Stokeworth stated. "I would suggest we strongly consider them. The same action could be done with King Mern and Queen Regent Sharra. Regarding the ironborn, piss on them."

Visenya held back a chuckle, as even cravens like Alyn Stokeworth and Jon Rosby knew better than to treat with an ironborn. However, she did not find the rest of their suggestions as amusing.

That was when Jaenyx's Valyrian vassals, specifically Ragaemor Tarareon, entered. "_Do you really think that negotiations would ensure our survival, Lord Alyn_?" he asked through his translator. "_I was the first one to read the High Septon's declaration. There can be no peace with those that follow the Faith, for it will mean our destruction_."

"You mean your destruction, Lord Tarareon," Jon Rosby answered. "You are Valyrians and we're not. The same could be said of the rest of the lords under your lieges and I can speak for everyone not of Valyria that our stakes in this war is not as high as your own."

Ragaemor's sister Maerys scoffed. "_You really believe that? You surrendered to Valyrians. Do you think that these Faith scum would care that you bent the knee so that you wouldn't get burned? In their eyes, you're an apostate for following those of Valyrian blood and therefore could be subject to extreme punishment_."

"No," Alyn Stokeworth shook his head, but Visenya could see a hint of doubt growing across his face. "But regardless of what the Faith will decide for us, I doubt that my house and my men will be willing to die for a culture that is endangered already."

Visenya balled her right hand into a fist, enraged at Stokeworth's essentially saying that he would follow his oaths to their house to the fullest. Unfortunately, before she could say anything, Jaenyx beat her to the punch.

"Oh, now your truly colors are showing, Lord Alyn," Jaenyx remarked calmly, but everyone could see that he was just as enraged as his wife by seeing a fire grow behind his eyes. "We've had a setback and you're already looking for a way out. Is that right?"

"My friend Alyn," Jon Rosby stepped in. "Is merely suggesting that you consider peace. There is nothing that can be gained from further fighting, especially when the odds are against us."

"_As expected of you Andal dogs_!" Aevor Rahitheon bellowed. "_Someone strikes you hard enough and you'll lick their assholes!_" That prompted chuckles from Jaenyx's other Valyrian vassals, even from Daemon and Crispian. Visenya saw Jaenyx and Rhaenys smile, as she also did. However, Jon Rosby and Alyn Stokeworth's faces turned red, but from anger.

"Of course you would confuse good sense with cowardice, Lord Aevor," Jon Rosby shot back. "Considering that you come from a civilization that is long dead."

"_Which is more than what could be said of you, Rosby!_" Aevor shouted. "_You Westerosi slime care so much about staying true to your oaths, but when your liege is a moment of need, you seek to abandon him. I for one always saw you lot as hypocritical cretins_."

"Ancient cunt!" Rosby barked.

"Half-breed bastard!" Aevor Rahitheon roared. The last one being too much for Jon Rosby to handle, he struck hard across Aevor's face. However, the Valyrian engineer quickly recovered and lunged for his throat, bringing both of them down.

Alyn Stokeworth moved in to defend his friend as he struggled against Aevor, but the Tarareon siblings pushed him away and pinned him to the ground. Soon, the rest of Jaenyx's Valyrian vassals clashed with those hailing from the Blackwater Bay. Rhaedar Tarareon kneed a Rosby man in the chest while a Stokeworth man headbutted another Vaeron. After her brother secured Lord Stokeworth, Maerys kicked a Mooton man in his balls before tackling him to the floor.

Daemon and Crispian tried to prevent the brawl from going further and pulled some of them from each other. But given the tempers running high in the room and that Daemon and Crispian possessed the Valyrian silver hair and violet eyes, some of the Blackwater Bay men also struck at them, prompting them to fight back also. Crispian did a hard uppercut on a Darklyn man while Daemon demonstrated his salty sailor side by throwing fast but hard jabs against a Mooton man's face and chest.

Visenya stepped forward to intervene, but Jaenyx grabbed her wrist and shook his head. She was about to protest, but she looked into his eyes and saw what he was thinking. Out of everyone in the room, she, Jaenyx, and Aegon were the deadliest fighters. If they got involved in the fighting, someone could get seriously hurt and really escalate the situation. Even Rhaenys would be able to deal some lethal blows thanks to her training by Arata Haru, who also was not getting involved. As the brawl occurred because of hot tempers, escalation was the last thing they needed.

Also, for their lieges to be physically involved in this vulgar scuffle would be unbecoming of their stations. Hells, it was unbecoming for the lords to act in such a manner, but they were doing it anyway. However, they were dragonlords and they would act above the current squabble. Visenya calmed herself down, but then reached out to Vhagar. _Girl, need some help here_, she said to her dragon.

Expecting only Vhagar to roar loudly, Visenya was surprised to hear four dragon roars coalescing into one large bellow. She looked at Jaenyx, Aegon, and Rhaenys, all of whom gave her knowing gazes. It seemed as if they read her mind on using her dragon to end the brawl rather than add to the fighting. Immediately, the fighting stopped.

Aegon straightened himself. "If all of you are done acting like brutes…" He gave a disappointing glance at Daemon and Crispian, expecting more of them, a glance that Jaenyx gave to the Tarareons and Rahitheons. "They have my brother," he said once more, in a voice that cut through the babble like a hot knife through butter. "And I shall discuss what to do with family only. Leave us." Everyone obeyed while rubbing their bruises and cuts, and Jaenyx also ordered the Tarareons and Rahitheons out while Arata and Konno Haru left without a word.

Visenya eased herself back onto the bench, anxious on what they were about to discuss, while Jaenyx sat next to her and Rhaenys remained standing.

Jaenyx streteched out his hand, seeming going for the jug containing the Dornish red, but Visenya shook her head. However, she had thought wrong when he went for the water and poured himself a glass. "Water, anyone?"

"Here," Aegon offered him his cup, which Jaenyx poured water into. Rhaenys also gave him her cup. When Jaenyx looked at Visenya, she shook her head. "I'm fine, Jae." He shrugged before he set down the jug and drank from his glass.

Aegon seated himself. "Lord Dondarrion is right. We have to get Orys back, but we cannot resort to ransom as the first option. That'll make look us weak."

"He's our brother," Rhaenys pointed out. "I highly doubt that King Loren would be so unwise as to seriously harm a valuable prisoner." Aegon gave her a sharp look, as did Visenya. "However, you're right. We have to get him back." She sipped at her cup.

"In addition to Orys' capture, our position is worse than most would imagine," Aegon went on. "We barely have enough men to hold onto the lands we have and even with the new lines making the task easier to accomplish, we cannot afford inaction."

Jaenyx nodded. "Agreed. But as we are in no position launch an offensive, we need to tighten our hold on the keeps and lands that still remain in our control."

The faintest flicker of worry played across Aegon thin lips. "The situation is changing too rapidly for us to establish proper defenses. Reports from the marcher lords told of a great Gardener host, forty thousand strong under the command of Prince Edmund Gardener, that have breached the defenses Orys established in the Red Mountains and thus forcing back the stormlords near the marches."

"Those are grave tidings," Rhaenys pointed out. "But Lord Dondarrion told me before the council that Lady Argella acted in Orys' stead and had the stormlords withdraw east of the Slayne before having them set up defenses on its eastern banks, in the rainwood and Cape Wrath."

Aegon nodded approvingly, as did Jaenyx and Visenya. East of the Slayne were lands that had formidable natural barriers from thick forests to stony mountains. Those obstacles would halt any advance through the Dornish Marches.

"It appears that Argella Durrandon is more acquainted with war strategy than I anticipated," Visenya thought aloud, but also in approval. _Orys found an extraordinary woman after all, even it was just an arranged marriage_.

Aegon bobbed his head. "Until Orys returns, I have decreed to the stormlords that Lady Argella would serve as Lady Paramount and thus has command over their forces."

"How is she taking the news?" Rhaenys asked with some concern. She confided in Visenya that she saw her and Orys act more… intimately just a few days ago, but they did not engage in coupling. _Rhae, Rhae, Rhae… always expecting the best in everything_, Visenya quietly mused. On the other hand, having her young sister remain that way after everything comforted her heart.

"She was calm about it," Aegon said. "But I could see that she was worried about her husband, which was more than I had expected."

"And what did you expect, Egg?" Rhaenys asked.

"At worse, she was happy that the man who killed her father was imprisoned by the enemy. At best, she saw an opportunity to usurp him," Aegon shrugged. "However, it appears that my presumptions about her were wrong. She does care about our brother at least."

Visenya frowned over the map, her hands rubbing her forehead as her attention drifted to other matters. "King Loren advances along the Red Fork while besieging the Blackwood Vale, the knights of the Vale crossing the Green Fork and helping to besiege Seagard while sending a force southwards, and the Gardeners marching through the stormlands… Egg, if we remain here, I fear we might be caught between three armies."

"I have no intention of remaining here. We must consolidate our forces today at Saltpans and Harrenhal to secure western and northern flanks. I will have cousin Daemon patrol the Bay of Crabs with his ships. Jae, can you spare Maerys Tarareon?" Jae nodded. "Thank you. She must patrol the eastern shores of the Vale. On the morrow, we make for Duskendale. Jae, I need Ragaemor Tarareon's cavalry to screen our movements. I'll give him as many men as he requires, and send them out in groups of four. We must have no gaps in our defenses."

"Of course Egg, but why Duskendale? That's a good distance away from here and we won't be able to project our fighting power as effectively from the Blackwater Bay."

"Duskendale is a good place from which to coordinate our defenses in the north," Aegon explained. "Unlike our citadel on the Blackwater Rush, Duskendale has a good port and proper defenses from which to safeguard our command. We can still use our citadel to coordinate our defenses in the south. However, we need to keep the Blackwater Bay in line, as Jon Rosby and Alyn Stokeworth are slowly cracking under the pressure, and Duskendale is close enough to both of their keeps."

"And if they act out of line again, it'll only be a short ride by dragon," Jaenyx finished.

"Exactly," Aegon replied, rising. "I shall the necessary preparations for our move back to the Blackwater Bay."

"Before we go, Egg," Rhaenys stopped him. "Shouldn't we send a message to Winterfell? To Brandon Snow?"

Visenya did not expect that. She had heard about Rhaenys gaining the dragon dreams and about the letter this Brandon Snow wrote to their family, which was sent personally by Lord Warrick Manderly. "Why should we contact your Stark friend, Rhae?" Aegon asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Brandon told me that his half-brother, Torrhen Stark, had assembled his banners at Moat Cailin, which is within striking distance of the Twins. We don't have the men to carry out an offensive even with dragons and with our key allies in the riverlands under siege, we need something fast."

"So what are you suggesting, Rhae?" Visenya asked.

"Brandon Snow talked about a pact between us, 'a pact of ice and fire' as he called it. And he said that we'd suffer a setback, which this is. He also said that once that happens, we should meet him, King Torrhen, and the northern lords at Widow's Watch. I think it's time we meet with the Starks, as they're the only ones that are in a position to help us."

"I don't know about that, Rhae," Visenya responded. "I imagine King Torrhen would ask for steep terms before he sends any of his bannermen to fight on our behalf."

"For now, all they want is the Twins and the Three Sisters," Rhaenys said.

In all honesty… those were acceptable terms in Visenya's mind. The Twins belonged to the traitorous house and the Three Sisters belonged to the Vale enemies. "Is that it?"

"As I said, for now. However, we have to arrange for the meeting at Widow's Watch. We need the northmen, as they're the only army in Westeros that has not been affected and not on the side of our enemies," Rhaenys reasoned.

Visenya trusted that Rhaenys wasn't pulling a mummer's act with the dragon dreams, but she was not sure on whether to trust the Starks or the northerners. If what she said on the abilities of Brandon Snow was true, they had to be wary of those that claiming to see into the future, as the future might not hold positive outcomes.

Aegon sighed before nodding his head. "Very well. We'll send a message to Winterfell. We'll them that House Targaryen and House Belaerys shall see House Stark and the other northern houses at Widow's Watch in a moon. We'll all go there with our dragons and bring an escort on board Daemon's ships."

"Agreed," Visenya assented. She looked to Jaenyx, who looked surprisingly accepting of the prospect of meeting with the Starks. Like herself, he had a good opinion of the First Men thanks to House Blackwood and was curious to see how the last region of pure First Men would be like.

Visenya and Jaenyx retired to their chambers after the meeting was concluded. However, the effects of Orys' capture had not fully set upon her until after Jaenyx closed the door. Once the latch was fastened, she collapsed with her knees against the floor and started crying. The stresses and worries of the last week, Orys capture notwithstanding, along with something that she couldn't fully explain had become too much for her. She was worried about Orys being safe, she was worried about their family being safe, she was worried about the threats that now surrounded them, and so much more.

Jaenyx got onto the floor with her and pulled her into a powerful embrace, his arms wrapping tightly around her while she bawled into his neck.

"Shhhh… shhhh…" Jaenyx shushed her while rubbing his hand on her bank. "_It's okay, Vis. Let it all out_."

"I don't know what they're doing to Orys, Jae," Visenya cried. "They could be hurting him and we're not there to protect him. He's our brother and we should be there for him."

"I know, I know," Jaenyx whispered in her ear before kissing it.

"And now, we can't trust our own allies to fight for us," Visenya continued. "Rosby can't be trusted. Stokeworth can't be trusted. All the while, our enemies seek our destruction and are closing in on us and I don't know if we can hold them back and—"

"Hey," Jaenyx drew back from his embrace to stare at Visenya directly in the eyes while holding her face in his hands. "What's there to worry about? You have me and you have Egg and Rhae here."

"But not Orys," Visenya continued to shed tears, which Jaenyx wiped with his thumbs.

"He's a hard man, Orys. He killed a king, so you can count on him being able to survive whatever a king can throw at him. However, I don't think he would want us to be weak because of him."

"What?"

Jaenyx sighed. "He's your brother and he loves you. I'm pretty sure that if he were here now, he would want you, Egg, and Rhae to stay strong for him. Continue the fight, kill the bastards that dare seek to destroy us, and survive. That's the most you can do for him now."

Visenya sniffed. "But how will we get him back?"

"Come on," Jaenyx snorted. "We were able to take Haystack Hall without losing a single man. I'm sure we'll come up with something."

Visenya perched her eyebrow. "'We?'"

Jaenyx nodded. "No matter my feelings for Orys, he is your family. And you care for him every much, so I should be concerned when someone hurts the family of the one I love. Just as you will do everything in your power to get him back, I will also do that."

"You'll do that for him, Jae?" Visenya asked, with hope.

Jaenyx shrugged. "How would I be able to care for my family if I won't go the distance for those they care about?"

Visenya grinned, elated that Jaenyx was willing to help Orys despite their spat from six moons ago. She pulled him into a kiss and pressed her arms tightly against his back, with the kiss becoming deeper with each dance of the tongue. When she pulled away from the kiss, she saw what she wanted Jaenyx to feel for her at the moment: lust and desire.

Visenya pulled him close to her again and kissed him roughly. There was zero hesitation whatsoever as Jaenyx kissed her back. She moaned into his mouth as her hands rested on his shoulders. _If his willingness to help our family by saving Orys is not proof of his love for me, I don't know what is, _Visenya thought.

With both still kneeling on the floor, Jaenyx guided Visenya to one of the walls without breaking the kiss. He placed his hand under one of her thighs and lifted it, hooking it around his waist. He grounded his bulging breeches against her core, causing her to moan in pleasure. Visenya rocked her hips against Jaenyx, increasing the friction and pleasure she was experiencing.

'You… too many… clothes… get them off… now!' Visenya ordered between kisses to Jaenyx's jaw and neck. He quickly removed his black leather vest and blue shirt, leaving his chest and abs exposed to Visenya. Her mouth watered as she took in the sight of her beloved husband. She bit down roughly on his neck causing him to gasp and her to smirk before she licked the spot and soothed it. She kissed every part of him that was exposed to her whilst stroking his hard cock through his breeches. His moans were loud and it was the most delightful sound in the world to Visenya.

Before she could get too far, Jaenyx grabbed both of Visenya's wrists and held them above her head. With his free hand, he stroked her cheek, which caused Visenya to shiver in anticipation. He kissed her slowly, gradually increasing his urgency.

Their kiss became sloppy and wild. Jaenyx slid his hand around her and squeezed her ass, which she rewarded him with a throaty moan. She then felt Jaenyx slide his hand into trousers and felt his fingers rub hard against her clit, prompting more moans to come out of her mouth. _How do his fingers know how to work wonders on me?_

Jaenyx pressed his fingers more rapidly against her entrance, feeling her juices while keeping his focus on kissing Visenya. Before she could explode, she felt him let go of her wrists. But before she could put them down, both of his hands reached for the hem of her blouse. She kept her arms up as he pulled it over her head and exposing her bare chest for his feasting eyes. She always felt her heart flutter whenever he stared at her breasts with lust and always saw stars in her eyes when he leaned down to suck on them.

Both of their eyes were dilated as Visenya pulled her trousers down. With Visenya's perfect round ass fully exposed, nothing could keep him from grabbing her hips and bringing her against the bulge in his breeches. She yelped when she felt his hands on her hips as she wasn't expecting it but moaned when her ass came into contact with his cock. "You don't have small clothes on?" he whispered into her ear.

"Fuck them. I can have you inside me quicker without them," Visenya replied. Jaenyx smiled as he returned to running his lips over her breasts. She rarely swore unless they were about to couple or were in the middle of it. Growing impatient, she grabbed onto his breeches. "Get your cock out," she ordered.

Jaenyx quickly disposed of his breeches and small clothes while Visenya remembered that her boots were still on, which she quickly took off. Finally, they were both completely naked. She made the first move by jumping into his arms.

"Now fuck me, Jae_," Visenya commanded._

Both of Jaenyx's hands went to Visenya's ass, keeping her up. She wrapped her legs around him tightly as he impaled her with his cock in a hard thrust. "OH FUCK!" she screamed as Jaenyx plunged deeper into her wet cunt. _Oh, how he makes me so wet. _He pushed her up against the wall where her back met the cold stone. He fucked her cunt relentlessly with Visenya thrusting her hips back at him with just as much vigor. "Jae… Jae… Jae!' she panted as she got closer to her climax. His mouth was on her neck when he thrust deep inside of her before holding his position. She screamed his name when she felt how deep he was but frowned when he didn't move. "Don't you dare fucking stop," Visenya said between heavy breaths.

"Or what?" Jaenyx asked as he began to fuck Visenya again. She didn't reply as the sensations that Jaenyx was giving her made it difficult for her to even think coherently. And then he fucking pulled out of her, to her great frustration.

Visenya immediately dropped to her knees and took his cock in her mouth. _Two can play at that game, _she thought mischievously. He groaned and his knees nearly buckled. Internally, she smirked at what she could do to her dragon. She took as much of his cock as she could until it hit the back of her throat. She loved being on her knees for Jaenyx, sucking his cock. He was the only one she had ever done this with, now and forever. Visenya enjoyed it whenever she sucked off Jaenyx. She was his and he was hers. _No one else's. He's mine. Now and forever. _But her love for Jaenyx didn't distract her from the reason she was sucking his cock in this exact moment. _Get him close and then do what he did to me and pull away. Let him know how it feels to be seconds away from his release only for it to be snatched away from him._

With one hand curled around the base of his cock, Visenya sucked on it hard and fast as Jaenyx made incoherent sounds. Her tongue swirled the tip of his cock and he instantly jerked his hips forward, pushing more of his cock down her throat. She hummed in approval before licking the sides of his cock.

"Fuck Vis," Jaenyx groaned. Her cheeks hollowed as she bobbed up and down his cock in a steady rhythm. He pushed some of her hair that had fallen out of her braid and was covering her face out of the way. Her amethyst orbs stared up at him lovingly before transforming into something else. _A challenge? _A split second later, she saw that Jaenyx had made up his mind. He thrust his hips towards Visenya and began to fuck her mouth. Her eyes widened but she didn't object. He felt himself get closer to his release and Visenya knew it also, so she pulled her mouth off of his cock. He looked down at her with an irritated expression but she just smirked back at him. She slowly stroked his now wet cock with both of her hands, reveling in the small whimpers he was making.

Jaenyx lifted her up and she instinctively wrapped her legs around him again. He brought her down to the stone floor just on the side of their bed. As soon as her back touched the cold stone, he was sheathed inside her tight cunt and she let out a loud moan. '"Jae," she moaned hoarsely. "Fuck me faster!"

And he did. Jaenyx pounded into her hard and fast. She fucked him back just as fast which added to the pleasure both were experiencing. It was passion and almost animalistic. _Like how dragons should _be. The sound of their sweaty skin slapping together echoed throughout the room along with the sounds each of them made while they fucked. She spread her legs wider for him and it allowed him to get even deeper inside of her. Her nails dug into his back as she held onto him tightly. Visenya would've felt guilty that she drew blood from him, but she was lost in the pleasure that he was giving her.

Jaenyx squeezed one of Visenya's breasts as he ravaged the other. There was a dark purple spot appearing on the side of her neck and undoubtedly her breasts would have the same mark soon. Her breathing quickened and all of the signs that she was about to reach the edge were there. With his free hand, Jaenyx reached to where their bodies joined and rubbed her clit. Visenya arched her back and wailed as she reached her peak. Her nails dug into his back even harder and it caused Jaenyx to wince slightly but he ignored it as he continued to fuck her.

Visenya's liquids covered her cunt and her inner thighs as well as Jaenyx's cock. Her walls tightening around it was too much for him and Jaenyx spilled his seed inside of her. He grunted before kissing her deeply, which she reciprocated eagerly. When they pulled apart, both were panting heavily but there was an naughty glint in her eyes.

"We're not done," Visenya said in her lady-like voice. _Jae is the only one who I will act as a lady to_.

"Good, because I had no intention of finishing this just yet," Jaenyx replied. He pulled out of her, which resulted in a small whine escaping Visenya's lips. He placed his hands underneath her and lifted her up effortlessly. Her arms and legs wrapped around his neck and waist respectively.

Visenya was biting, licking and kissing his neck, making sure she marked him just as he had marked her. He was gently carrying her to the bed, but Visenya made it clear to him that she wanted him sitting up and not on his back. Their eyes locked together and it was a battle to see who would make the first move. Jaenyx decided to by slapping her ass, which resulted in a surprise squeal by Visenya. Liking the sound that escaped her lips, he slapped it again.

"Harder," Visenya huffed as she stroked Jaenyx's cock back to its full length. He obliged and slapped her ass cheeks harder, leaving a light red mark on her fair skin.

"Inside of me. Now!" Visenya lifted herself up and Jaenyx positioned his cock so that when she came down, his cock would be inside of her. They both groaned in unison as she lowered herself on him. Initially, Visenya rode him slowly but that quickly changed and they fucked hard and fast again on the mattress. She rocked her hips against his, causing him to gasp as the change of angle increased his pleasure.

Jaenyx kisses her, moving up her body from her breasts to her neck, cheek, and finally her mouth. The lips collided, with his tongue immediately entering her mouth. He held her hips as he pistoned upwards quickly over and over again. Visenya moaned into his mouth before forcing him to loosen his hold on her hips as she wanted to ride him at the same time that as he was thrusting into her.

Jaenyx leaned back and Visenya saw him stare into her eyes. She knew that he wanted to see her lose control and he had quickly got her to the point where she was close. He applied just the right amount of pressure on her clit with his thumb, sending Visenya over the edge. Her whole body was shaking as she came. She cried out his name while she spasmed in his arms. Her eyes were shut tightly as wave after wave of pleasure jolted through her body. Jaenyx followed her quickly, filling her with his seed.

Visenya laid her head on Jaenyx's sculpted chest and he kissed the top of her head. It was a blissful embrace after their rough coupling, which Visenya further enjoyed as she felt a mixture of his seed and her juices flowing on her thighs. She felt thoroughly… _ravaged_ and she suspected that she would share many of Jaenyx's reddish-purple love bites. "How is it that you make it feel like the first time every time?" Visenya looked up at him.

"_I know just how to please my wife_," Jaenyx reverted to High Valyrian. "_Plus, I felt like you needed it now_."

"Because of Orys?"

Jaenyx sighed, but he offered a comforting smile. "_He's your brother and I would be a shit husband if I didn't care about your family. And I promised that I would treat all of you with love and respect._"

"I know about your promises," Visenya replied. "But what about your feelings?"

"_I had to do a lot of thinking, as you know. And maybe… I was wrong about him. Valyrian blood flows through his veins just as it does mine and I would be a hypocrite if I just simply dismissed him. Also, I've seen how you, Egg, and Rhae treated him. You're my wife, Vis, and Egg and Rhae have become my family. Maybe it's time I embrace the last one as my own_."

Visenya smiled widely and kissed him deeply. "I'm glad you feel that way, Jae. So… about the parley with the Lannister king-"

Jaenyx shook his head. "_I'm tired, Vis, and we just fucked each other's brains out. Can it wait tomorrow_?"

Visenya nodded. "Sure," she said before laying her head on Jaenyx's shoulders and falling into the waiting hold of sleep.

* * *

Visenya waited alongside Jaenyx, their father, their mother, Aegon, and Rhaenys as they sat in a tent outside of Harrenhal. Their mother insisted on participating in the war effort despite the need for her to remain at Dragonstone, so their father appointed Quenton as its castellan until she returned.

After relocating to Duskendale, the captains and bannermen sworn to Dragonstone reinforced the defenses of the town while Jaenyx directed Aevor Rahitheon to construct a road between the port and their citadel on the Blackwater Rush. They also kept a sizable force at Saltpans, Harrenhal, and south of the Gods Eye, with the last one being the most worrisome since patrols from both sides clashed for control over the Blackwater Rush. It was imperative the forces of Dragonstone maintain control over the eastern banks of the Rush, as it was the only natural barrier that barred the Lannisters and the Gardeners from advancing into the Blackwater Bay.

They had also received reports from Storm's End, written in the hand of Lady Argella herself. The stormlords took all of the crops, livestock, and valuables while burning the rest and slighting their own castles to prevent the enemy from using them. Many of the stormlords protested against destroying their own keeps, but Jaenyx promised compensation once the war was done and reasoned that if the enemy couldn't use their castles against them, their hold on the land would be severely crippled. More importantly, they had successfully held off the enemy at the Slayne, the rainwood, and Cape Wrath.

By now and despite the reinforcements from the Vale, the lines had stabilized in both the riverlands and in the stormlands within three weeks. Their father had recommended to Aegon that they needed to have boys as young as ten serve in their forces, thus freeing up thousands of older boys to reinforce their infantry. Jaenyx and Aegon made their training rigorous, as they needed to understand that their enemy would inflict severe pain upon them even if they did surrender and they needed to fight to the best of their abilities. Progress was slow, but steady, and they added four thousand more to supplement their ranks.

Even though the situation had improved, they were still not in a strong enough position to mount a counteroffensive. Such was the reason why they agreed to a parley with King Lannister outside Harrenhal, their westernmost possession in the riverlands.

"Do you think he will bring up the ransom for Orys, father?" Aegon asked.

"Well, that was the motivation for King Loren to call this parley," their father answered.

"We're not going to pay it, are we?" Rhaenys was worried.

"It depends, Rhae. If it's just gold, I will pay it. Anything more will make us look weak."

"If he demands lands, father, will we give it?" Aegon asked.

Their father shook his head. "As I said, paying anything more than gold will make us look weak. And land exchanges only occur when both sides seek a cessation to hostilities, which is not the intention of this parley."

"How do you know, father?"

"_Because we're not done fighting, Egg_," Jaenyx spoke. "_And our position is more secure than it was weeks ago._"

"If the Lannister tries anything, I'll burn him to a crisp," Visenya declared.

"And we won't stop you, Vis," their mother replied with approval. "But it won't hurt to see what King Loren wants."

"Didn't know you care that much for Orys," Visenya thought aloud. However, everyone heard, prompting a heavy sigh from their mother.

"Orys might not have come from my womb, but you all see him as your brother and nothing less. And as you all know, I value my family above all else. I would be a fucking hypocrite if I showed no concern for your brother," their mother simply said. Visenya snorted in amusement, which got her a cross look from their mother.

One of their bannermen, another Mallister, entered the tent and dipped his head to their father. "Lord Aerion, King Loren has arrived."

"Send him in," their father ordered. He rose from his seat, prompting all of them to do so, as the King of the Rock and his ranking bannermen entered through the tent flap and took their seats in the table opposite of theirs.

Visenya took in the five men that had accompanied King Loren. They were all dressed in ornate robes and all had well-maintained beards, but all had hair colors ranging from copper to dirty blonde. She saw their sigils on their surcoats, from which she identified the burning tree of House Marbrand, the bridled boar of House Crakehall, the seashells of House Westerling, the golden lion and anchor of the House Lannister of Lannisport, and the red lion of House Reyne. _Five of the most powerful houses sworn to Casterly Rock_, Visenya thought.

Then, Visenya turned her attention to King Loren himself. He had golden blonde hair and green eyes, with a beard that covered his jawline and chin but did not grow past the middle point of his neck. In addition to the surcoat sporting the golden lion against a red background of the main House Lannister, he also wore a crown that was made of gold and had a roaring lion on the front of its band. He also wore velvet robes and had a golden necklace around his neck.

However, Visenya saw past King Loren's dress and looked into his eyes. His blue irises moved to and fro, looking at their family closely. Like Darvin Hoare when he first came to Dragonstone, his eyes resembled that of a predator as it scrutinized its prey, looking for any spots to take advantage of and thinking of ways to bring its prey down. But unlike "King" Hoare, there was a… calm collectiveness behind those searching eyes. Whereas Darvin Hoare would have jumped quickly onto the first chance to kill his prey, King Loren seemed to take his time and looked as if he waited only when he could catch his quarry in the most efficient manner possible.

Not only that, King Loren had a small grin on his face, as if he was happy to be talking to their family. _What are you happy about it_?

Their father sat down, prompting Visenya, Jaenyx, and their family to sit. King Loren and Lords Marbrand, Crakehall, Westerling, and Reyne followed suit.

"Thank you for agreeing to this parley, Lord Aerion," King Loren started. Their father didn't answer. "I would have understood if you allowed your heir and your good-son to be involved in our discussion, but why bring your whole family?"

Their father blinked. "My wife has been an important contributor for many years, as are my daughters. After all, it's not every day that a simple lord like myself can speak to a king on equal terms, so I require my entire family before making the next move."

"I see…" King Loren nodded, but Visenya could tell that despite his hesitation to engaged with women, at the same time, it was much more subdued than the other men she had to deal with and it looked as if he didn't care. _Interesting_…

"You say that you have come to discuss terms of a ransom for my brother, Lord Orys Baratheon," Aegon said. "We're interested in hearing the cost of his safe return."

The Lannister from Lannisport scoffed. "Only they would elevate a bastard to a lord," he whispered to Lord Crakehall, who sat next to him.

"What did you say?" Visenya was angered at their insulting their brother.

Before the Lannisport Lannister could respond, King Loren gave him a scolding look, which silenced him. "Please excuse my cousin, my lady. He has a rather… delicate constitution onshore whenever he's not sailing his boat and him speaking out of turn is just one aspect of that."

Visenya gave him a look that communicated her being unconvinced, which King Loren ignored. He then turned to Aegon. "You must Lord Aegon," King Loren addressed her brother. "I've heard much about you and your exploits, and I must say you are off to a great start if you wish to take your father's place when he dies."

Visenya clenched his teeth. _Oh, already he's talking of our father's death?_ She turned and saw that her father was also irritated, but he suppressed it.

As for Aegon, he wasn't one for flattery and Visenya saw that he already knew that King Loren's words were empty. "Thank you, King Loren," he replied courteously.

"Respectfully, King Loren," their mother jumped in. "We're not here to comment on the events of the moons past. We came to discuss the ransom of Lord Baratheon."

King Loren looked at their mother. "Valaena Velaryon. Well, I must say that the tales of your beauty fall short of the real article and that your lord husband chose well, as Westeros would tolerate relations between cousins as opposed to those between siblings."

Visenya's breath flared through her nostrils. _You've got some fucking nerve to insult Egg and Rhae in their presence!_ She could Aegon and Rhaenys doing the same.

King Loren turned his attention to Rhaenys. "And it appears that you have inherited your lady mother's beauty, Lady Rhaenys. I must say that you match well with Lord Aegon, as one inclined for battle must be tempered by one inclined to song, even though you are married to your brother."

Lords Marbrand, Westerling, Crakehall, and Lannister all chuckled derisively, except for Lord Reyne, which Visenya found curious. She was aware that House Reyne traded energetically with their family, paying them for their goods and a red-colored Valyrian steel sword Lord Reyne called "Red Rain" in silver and gold bullion instead of sacks of gold and silver pieces like their other business partners in Westeros. Until the Faith's holy war put a stop to their trade. She could tell that being here was the last thing that he wanted and that he wasn't on good terms with his king. _What's going on over there_?

Whatever his thoughts, their father was obviously insulted at their derision. "Are we here to discuss the ransom, or are you just wasting our time, King Loren?"

"We are here to discuss the terms of the ransom, but Lord Baratheon is your natural-born son, so naturally, I must discuss your family, which brings me to you, Lady Visenya," King Loren gazed at her. "If only you were born a man, then every knight in Westeros would have sought to spar with you and every aspiring knight would have wanted to be you squire, for I heard nothing but good things about your battle prowess. But alas, you're a woman and such predispositions for war does not suit a lady well."

Visenya's first thought was to draw Dark Sister, run over to King Loren, and decapitate him for his insults. However, such an action belonged to a self that existed before she married Jaenyx, who never belittled her for not being a traditional lady and instead encouraged her to become a better warrior, offering her tips and having Arata and Konno Harus push her to her limits during their spars. She found a man that made her feel whole, and her family didn't stop her from mastering combat, so she felt no need to be insulted by lesser men. _Anyone else who thinks lowly of me can go fuck themselves_.

Visenya calmed herself before speaking. "How boring your life must be if you only know one type of lady, King Loren. I do hope that your cock hasn't gone feeble from fucking daffodils and whores who only spread their legs because you're a king."

Now it was their family's turn to chuckle at King Loren's expense, keeping a neutral face but she could see that he was bothered, meaning that she hit a nerve. She felt Jaenyx squeeze her hand under the table, giving her a big smile and she saw that he was struggling to keep himself from guffawing like a fool.

As for the lords of the Rock, the smiles on their faces disappeared, shocked that a lady had the gall to insult their king directly in his presence. All except Lord Reyne, who looked rather amused at Visenya's intrepidity. _The situation with House Reyne is getting more intriguing._

"You will retract your words to King Loren, Lady Visenya!" Lord Marbrand bellowed.

Their father shrugged. "Why should she? You laughed at our expense when it came to my son and heir and my daughter. Consider us even, my lord."

"A lord daring to insult a king, who outranks in every manner?!" Lord Westerling exclaimed. "It baffles me how your tiny island was able to survive with your brazenness."

"Enough!" King Loren barked, causing his lords to stand down. "All right. The terms of Lord Baratheon's return are a thousand sacks of gold pieces and the return of Broden Tully to Riverrun. Once that has occurred, the Faith is ready to call for a truce along the current lines of control."

"Do you speak for the Starry Sept?" their father asked.

"The High Septon has bestowed upon me the title 'Marshal of the Faith,' so in all matters concerning war and diplomacy, I do speak for the Faith."

Their father sighed, fighting the headache that was creeping on him from the ridiculousness of King Loren's new title. "Do we have your word on that, King Loren? In exchange for the thousand sacks of gold pieces and Broden Tully, we will have Lord Baratheon returned in good condition?"

"Yes."

Visenya looked at their father in shock. _Are you really doing this_? She wanted Orys back, but he seemed to be folding too easily.

"But I'm guessing that's not all of your terms," their father stated.

"Indeed," King Loren confirmed. "Enough blood has been shed and there is a possibility for peace between our peoples."

"And what would they be?"

King Loren leaned back in his chair. "First, you must order all of your bannermen and captains to stand down and cease all fighting."

Visenya narrowed her eyes. _What the hells_?

"Second, you must withdraw your forces back to your tiny island and stay there while the forces of the Faith move in to secure the lands not directly under our control. The Gardeners will take the stormlands and Storm's End, I will take over the riverlands, and the Arryns will take Blackwater Bay. You must sign a document that confirms the new boundaries of control and stamp your seal confirming the dissolution of the union between Orys Baratheon and Argella Durrandon."

Their father scoffed at the ridiculousness of his terms, but wanted to see how far it will go. "And I assume you have a final term?"

"Take your dragons, take your vassals, leave Westeros, and never come back. We don't need your incestuous practices or your foreign religion infecting the minds of our people. We're fine on our own and Westeros will benefit from having its traditions and customs remain uninterrupted."

Their father scoffed and shook his head. "Come now, King Loren. You don't care about Westeros, and your designs are as clear as day. You want the riverlands for the simple reason of enlarging your kingdom."

"Whatever my feelings, Lord Aerion, I have a duty to the Faith and these terms have been endorsed by the High Septon. No one else has to die."

Visenya wanted to laugh at such bullshit coming from King Loren's mouth, as she knew that no one apart from simple-minded people would put any stock in the Faith.

It was then that Jaenyx spoke. "You ask such steep terms, King Loren. What makes you think that we will accept them without a fight?"

"Ah, the Blue Dragon finally graces us with his presence," quipped King Loren. "I hear you are quite the bigot, from what little your Maester Harrion told me."

Now, that was unexpected for Visenya and the family. "You've met Maester Harrion?" Rhaenys asked.

"Yes," King Loren replied. "And he had many things to say about you and your family. This is how I do things. I never launch myself against my adversaries without prior knowledge."

_The next time I see Harrion, I will kill him_, Visenya thought darkly.

"You didn't answer the question," Jaenyx pointed out.

"That's 'Your Grace' to you, dragon cunt," Lord Marbrand blurted out.

Unlike Haru, no one called their family by that name and Visenya was about to yell before King Loren spoke up. "Whatever our feelings for each other, my lord Marbrand, even I have to admit that was too far."

"No need for him to apologize, King Loren," Jaenyx said. "If he does, it'll be the biggest horseshit that I would have heard today."

Visenya snorted, as did Aegon, Rhaenys, and their parents.

"But going back to the central issue, what makes you think we will accept such preposterous terms?" Jaenyx questioned.

As if expecting that, King Loren pulled out a sack and gestured to one of the Targaryen household guards. Getting the nod from their father, he took the sack and placed it in front of his liege. He opened the sack and poured its contents, which were six digits of fingers, the ring finger and pinky from what Visenya could see. They also gave a horrid smell, as the flesh had rotted.

"What is this?" their father asked in indignation.

"There were no terms regarding Lord Baratheon's constitution prior to this parley, but even I knew that he had to kept alive for us to come to terms."

Visenya could see Aegon's face become red, which Rhaenys and Visenya also did. "You harmed our brother?" he barely controlled his rage.

"He may be a lord in your eyes, but he's a bastard to the rest of us," the Lannisport Lannister said acidly. "There is nothing that condemns pain inflicted upon bastards."

Visenya wanted nothing more than to call Vhagar and have her burn the lords that dared to spite their family. _That does it! I will not give them a second thought when I feed them to Vhagar!_

Their father sat up from the table, pure rage evident in his face as his eyes bared dragonfire to Loren. "We're done here," he simply said before he stormed out of the tent. Visenya and the rest followed him out, the evidence of the harm done to Orys ending any more discussion with the Lannisters.

Their father flied into a fury as they walked back to their dragons outside the walls of Harrenhal, "I want to get this fuck where he stands! I want to ride into Casterly Rock and to Riverrun and burn everything to the ground! I want that bastard Loren Lannister DEAD! I want his house DEAD! I want his castle burned to the GROUND! I want to have the dragons burn his body and I want to PISS ON HIS ASHES! And I want the same for everyone that dared to fight against us! They will never, EVER know a world without fire EVER AGAIN!"

Their mother grabbed the back of his neck and kissed him deeply, ceasing his vitriol and calming him down. But from what Visenya observed, she was also enraged at King Loren daring to harm their brother. _Now, there shall be no quarter given to those that stand against us_.

Visenya was relieved to see Jaenyx incensed at the audacity of the King Loren, but he was much more calm about it because he knew what it was like to see your family hurt. "_Good-father, I understand how you feel. And believe me, I want to see our enemies disappear into the nothingness. But before we could act, we need to get Orys back first. We have exhausted the peaceful approach, so let's get him back ourselves._"

"How do you intend to do that?" Aegon asked.

"_First, we need to find out exactly where he is. I still have agents in action in the Riverlands, so they'll tell me what we need to know. Then, we mount a rescue_."

"He'll be guarded, Jae," Rhaenys pointed out. "The enemy will not let our brother so easily slip through their fingers."

"_Leave the worrying to me, Rhae_," Jaenyx assured. "_I promise you all, I will get him back_."

"You mean we," Visenya grasped at his arm.

"_You want to help, Vis_?"

"_You need to ask that question, Jae? I would do anything for our brother and I can't just sit around while he languishes in their chains_," Visenya asserted.

Jaenyx nodded. "All right. You can join."

Visenya kissed him on the cheek, happy that he just accepted and that he knew that arguing against her involvement would lead nowhere.

Before they mounted their dragons, with their father riding with Aegon and their mother with Rhaenys, Daemon ran towards them. "Lord Aerion," he caught his breath.

"What is it?" their father called from atop Balerion.

"We have a response to the message sent to Winterfell. King Torrhen Stark and the northern lords have agreed to the meeting at Widow's Watch. They'll be expecting you in two weeks."

Visenya was surprised that the Starks would respond so quickly. But if what Rhaenys said was true, they needed the northmen to join the war on their side.

Their father nodded. "All right. Send a message to Winterfell and prepare some ships. We're going north." As soon as Daemon nodded, he stepped back as all four dragons rose into the air. They first would need to stop at Dragonstone before sailing north.

_I hope this works_.

**A lot of cover in this chapter, and now there are divisions among the ranks of the Valyrians. But they will all need to stay united if they wish to win and survive. And Jaenyx is finally burying the hatchet with Orys, as he sees how much the Targaryens care for him and he would not be really loving his family if he doesn't love one of them. **

**And now, the Lannisters have really pissed off the dragons with how they harmed Orys. They would be unwise to think that the dragons will ever let them go after that. On another note, the dragons have finally reached out to the Starks and received a response. The northmen will be important from here on out. **

**Next, we will finally meet Brandon and the northern lords in their rough and wild glory. **


	31. Brandon I

**A/N:**

**Well, this is the first chapter from a Northern POV. Had to take extra time for this, as there was much to cover. And a very momentous event is in here. **

**Over 200 followers and over 200 likes? Love you guys! Here it is.**

BRANDON I

Brandon sat in the solar of Lord Flint of Widow's Watch, which had been granted to him and his brother Torrhen for the duration of their stay in the great keep on cliffs next to the Shivering Sea. But while most lords and kings would just sit in their chairs, he sat with his hands behind his head and his legs rested on the table. Some would have scolded him for being so relaxed, as it was inappropriate for most lords to act that way in front of others. Then again, this was the North and such behaviors were not so emphasized like that of the south.

More importantly, all three branches of House Flint were very loyal to House Stark, especially the more powerful ones at Widow's Watch. In fact, Lord Flint went out of his way to provide the best hospitality he could to Torrhen whenever he went on this royal progresses throughout the North and having the King in the North visit his keep twice that year was a great honor. So they were undeniably safe within the walls of Widow's Watch.

That morning, Brandon arose early and rode his mare along the sides of the cliff as he took in the calm of the Shivering Sea. There indeed existed a reassurance that came from the sea, as it went on and on in all directions and no one and nothing cared for who you were. _In another life, I would have been happy being a captain of my own ship and sailing all over the world._

Brandon patted the reddish-brown fur of his direwolf, Autumn. Although he usually spent the day hunting in the wilderness, Brandon reached to his direwolf and told Autumn that he needed him by his side. "You're a good boy, you know that?" he scratched Autumn's head, which earned a lick on his hand from the direwolf.

The sound of the solar's door opening brought Brandon out of his daze, but he relaxed when he saw his brother Torrhen enter. While most lords would have risen when a king entered, he remained sitting, as they were close enough for them to dispense with all propriety with each other.

Torrhen was dressed in a linen tunic and had a belt of heavy silver links, which held his dagger, and had left his longsword in his chambers and House Stark's Valyrian steel sword Ice at Winterfell. He wore a surcoat made of fine white velvet, which had the grey direwolf against a white background sigil of House Stark the his left side over his chest. Brandon could see that Torrhen also wore cloaks made from black wool that also had a hint of grey with white. To top it all off, he had a black cloak lined with heavy furs, which he usually wore while he rode his destrier.

Torrhen was hardly concerned with being well kept, as the northern houses put little stock in appearances and was only concerned with one's actions.

"All hail Torrhen Stark!" Brandon called out like a herald. "First of His Name, king of the savages, ruler of the ice, and mage of the snow." He saw Torrhen roll his eyes, spurring him forward. "The people are curious as to what he will do today. Will he conjure up grumpkins from across the Wall? Will he witness someone pissing through a wolf? Or will he unleash a blizzard through his many ass-spraying mayhems?"

"Shut up, Bran," Torrhen groaned in annoyance, which prompted a chortle from Brandon.

"Oh, forgive me, Your Grace," Brandon replied in mock deference. "Perhaps, a sharp thrust from behind with Ice would be needed to silence me."

Torrhen frowned. "Don't even joke about that, Bran."

"I'd always wondered what the difference was between blades and cocks, since manhood is measured by both," Brandon continued aloud, but intentionally.

"For love of the gods, Bran," Torrhen grumbled.

"Come on, Torry," Brandon called the King in the North by his childhood nickname. "You know I'm no buggerer. I'm just japing with you."

"How many times do I have to tell you?" Torrhen poured himself a cup of ale while keeping his annoyed look on his face. "There are times to do that and times not to. This is one of them."

"Laughing is healing for the mind, Torry," Brandon shrugged. "Not laughing at my jests leads to more wrinkles on your face from your many instances of frowning and brooding. Pretty soon, you'll end up like poor old Black Harren who must've scowled so much he aged a hundred years before his time."

Torrhen took a swig from his cup of ale. "Just thinking about him makes me worried about his brother being here. I for one don't intend to roast within these walls like Black Harren did."

"We have the blood of the Starks within us, Torry," Brandon pointed out. "We know the Watch better than anyone and the black brothers take their vows seriously. They also know the consequences of deserting or breaking their vows."

"Nonetheless," Torrhen interrupted. "I made it clear to you that bringing Maron Hoare to Widow's Watch was a bad idea, considering that our incoming guests burnt most of his family to a crisp. It won't matter that he's the Lord Commander."

"The Targaryens are also aware of the Watch and understand that bringing harm to any of its members would thoroughly damage their house's standing throughout Westeros," Brandon reasoned. "Besides, I heard that Lord Hoare went to the Wall because he didn't want to be around his own people."

"Whatever personal feelings we have, having him in the same room as the Targaryens would jeopardize our meeting with them."

"They won't kill us," Brandon assured Torrhen.

"Why? Because your sight told you so?" Torrhen trusted Brandon's abilities, but he had a tendency to put practicality above fantastical abilities several times. Such was understandable, given that he was a king.

"That, and I've talked with Rhaenys Targaryen through the sight. They would never do something as stupid as kill the Lord Commander of the Watch."

Torrhen sighed. "Well, I'll have you know that bringing Maron Hoare is the least of my concerns at the moment. Did you know that Houses Umber, Karstark, and Glover were the ones most opposed to our meeting with the dragons? They said that the Starks and by extension the North must never get involved in the affairs of the south."

Brandon groaned. "I appreciate their loyalty, Torry, but they're not seeing the larger picture."

"Oh, I trust you, Bran," Torrhen answered. "But they're not like you. The first time I heard you talk about 'a pact of ice and fire,' I thought you were mad until you explained it more to me. However, the only reason I was convinced was because I've seen your sight in action. The rest of the lords will be harder to convince, especially Lord Umber as you well know."

"Marlon Umber disbelieves anything connected to magic since he views everything north of the Wall as connected to wildlings, who constantly deals with."

"That's irrelevant, Bran," Torrhen stated. "You might have convinced me, you might have convinced Lord Manderly to negotiate with Dragonstone, and you might have persuaded the Targaryens enough to have them come here, but the other lords won't. It's best if you don't talk about your sight at this meeting yet."

"I disagree, Torry," Brandon replied. "The Targaryens have dragons, all of which are magical by themselves. Plus, they have preserved certain wonders of old Valyria, all of which are based on magic. It won't be hard to persuade them."

"This is not about persuading the Targaryens, Bran," Torrhen pointed out. "This is about ensuring that all of the northern houses throw their support for this pact. Having them believe that this meeting occurred because of your sight would make them take it less seriously."

"Not the biggest concern you dealt with," Brandon shrugged.

"How about… we save all of our energies until the meeting begins, eh?" Torrhen suggested, but Brandon could see that he was not in the mood to further debate the issue. "I just want to enjoy a nice morning breaking my fast and enjoying this cup of ale. Is that too much to ask?"

Brandon nodded, respecting his brother's wishes. "Of course, Torry." He inhaled and picked up a strong scent. "I sense a large animal entering the room."

Torrhen raised an eyebrow before the door to the solar opened, servants entering with plates of salted bacon and setting them before the two brothers while placing two pork legs in front of Autumn. He rolled his eyes and sighed. "Must you jest before I eat?"

"Well, I do hope that the hog was quiet when the butcher came, because we wouldn't want to have our meal's last memory be one of agony?"

Torrhen looked as if he wanted to say something, but he just shook his head and began chewing on the bacon. As for Brandon, he just grinned while he joined his brother in breaking their fast. "May I have some ale, Torry?"

"Get it yourself," Torrhen muttered.

Brandon gasped mockingly. "You would be so cruel as to have your brother get up from his comfortable chair and to reduce him to pouring drinks like a servant?"

"That chair isn't comfortable," Torrhen said. "And I must be a servant then, since I poured myself a drink."

Brandon chuckled, amused that his brother was finally being loose, before he got up, poured himself a drink, and clinked his ale cup with Torrhen's. But before they could begin eating their bacon, the door to the solar opened again, this time with the Queen in the North entering, Jocelyn, who wore a grey gown lined with green and a woolen cloak that was similarly colored.

"Well, if it isn't the green-eyed wildling," Jocelyn remarked as her short stature and wavy black hair did nothing to hold the tongue that made many cross. Fortunately, Brandon knew her well enough to know that her runny mouth was her way of showing affection.

Brandon did another mock gasp. "What is this? More rubbish this morning?"

"Hey, with respect, Bran, you didn't let me finish. If it isn't the green-eyed wildling getting fatter in his chair like some penned-up wolf… cunt. Now, I'm finished," Jocelyn jabbed at Brandon's origins from the mountain clans and to him having the greensight.

"And if it isn't the undersized swamp rat, coming to grace us with her presence after another night of getting humped as a wolf takes its bitch," Brandon poked back at Jocelyn being the daughter of Lord Ethan Reed, the overlord of the crannogmen and of the Neck. He also saw that her hair was a bit disheveled, pointing to what she and Torrhen were doing the night before.

"I may be small, but I know how to stay afloat in water, which is more than what you could do, Bran," Jocelyn prodded at Brandon's swimming struggles.

"If you can count swamps as real water," Brandon pointed out. "Plus, why would I need to swim if I can just walk on water on land?"

"What?" Jocelyn asked with confusion.

"You know, snow is water, and we see a lot of it near the Wall. There, I can walk on it," Brandon visualized with his hands.

Jocelyn snickered. As for Torrhen, he rubbed his temples, not in the mood for his brother's and his wife's antics in the morning. "Perhaps you should have married him, Jos."

"I think not, then I might have actually lost an argument," Jocelyn moved toward Torrhen and kissed him lightly on the lips. "How's your morning been, my king?"

"Great, before you two decided to start a jesting match," Torrhen said before he resumed eating his bacon.

"Come now, Torry," Brandon called out. "You're the only one who could handle our japes without sticking Ice up our asses."

Torrhen set down his fork and knife while giving Brandon his irritated face. "Bran, I'm not in the mood for your ass jokes. I could decree it to the northern houses that words such as 'ass' or 'asshole' can no longer be said, and I would really have an excuse to stick you with Ice."

"But you won't, because then, Winterfell would become really boring without me and Jos adding some absurdity to the seriousness of the North."

"Maybe, but Bran, can you not jest with people's asses just for today? We're about to have a summit that could forever change the North, and I don't need our guests to see you as a laughingstock."

"I wouldn't worry about that, Torry. As I've said, I've talked with Rhaenys Targaryen. I know that she knows me enough to tolerate my japing tendency," Brandon reassured him with confidence.

"Fine, fine. Now, would it be too much to ask if I could break my fast in peace? I heard enough jests for one day," Torrhen took a swig from his ale cup while the servants brought another plate of bacon for Jocelyn. Respecting his wishes, Brandon poured Jocelyn a cup of ale before they ate their morning meal in silence. As for Autumn, he enjoyed his pig feet so much that he began to grind his teeth on the bones.

Once they were finished with their bacon, Brandon, Torrhen, and Jocelyn walked outside the solar and entered Widow's Watch great hall. It wasn't as large as the one in Winterfell, but it was large enough to accommodate all of the northern houses that had arrived to meet with the last major remnant of old Valyria. While some houses came personally, some others acted on behalf of the more minor houses, like the Flints of Widow's Watch speaking for all of House Flint and House Dustin representing the barrowlands. It was a body that was to represent the North in a momentous event in their history since the campaign in the Three Sisters.

Brandon also had Autumn strode with him, his brother, and his good-sister. It sent a strong message to the northern houses that the Starks were still going strong, and having a live direwolf be with them served as a symbol of their house's continued strength.

The first to greet Torrhen and Jocelyn was Joseth Glover, Master of Deepwood Motte. "Your Graces," he dipped his head to Torrhen.

"Thank you for coming, Lord Joseth," Torrhen shook his hand. "It must've been grueling for you and your house to have traveled all the way here."

"Not at all, Your Grace," Joseth Glover shook his head. "I am happy to be of service to House Stark in whatever way possible."

"We're glad to hear it," Jocelyn nodded before they both moved onto Marlon Umber. "Always a pleasure to see you, Lord Marlon. I trust the climate here is tolerable compared to Last Hearth?"

"Nonsense, my queen," Marlon Umber spoke loudly. "Everything may be warmer here, but we Umbers enjoy the cold near the Wall, since we could all brush closely against each other against the fire and in our beds, if you know what I mean?"

King Torrhen chuckled, having grown accustomed with the Umbers' proclivity for lewdness and trusted in his wife's fidelity to allow her to engage in such banter. "Of course, Marlon. Hopefully, you won't be so inclined to being too warm, considering who's coming?" Marlon smiled, almost hiding the fact that he was hesitant to treat with the dragons, before Torrhen moved on to Larence Karstark, Lord of Karhold. "How have you been, old friend?"

"Very good, Your Grace," Larence Karstark bowed his head. "I just received a raven from Karhold this morning. It appears that my son Kyle has been handling the duties of the keep well since I departed. It made me happy to have a son that I can trust to keep our house in good order when I'm gone."

Jocelyn grinned, as did Torrhen. "That's very good to hear, Larence. Although I hope your passing doesn't come for many years. We will need your friendship further down the road." Lord Karstark nodded his thanks before Torrhen and Jocelyn moved on, but Brandon could see that they wished he spent more time with Larence after seeing who it was next.

"Thank you for coming, Lord Rogar," Torrhen shook his hand, with a little hesitation. "I trust your journey here wasn't too strenuous?"

Rogar Bolton smiled, but Brandon knew that he detected his brother's reluctance. "It's of little consequence, Your Grace. After all, it isn't everyday that one would lay eyes on living dragons."

"I wouldn't be too excited, Lord Bolton," Brandon spoke. "Dragons are intelligent creatures, but they can be vicious to those with ill-intent. That's an occurrence that we wouldn't want happening, would we?"

Rogar Bolton blinked, evidently offended at being addressed in that manner by a bastard and especially when Brandon gave him a warning. Even though bastardy status was not as deplored as in the kingdoms south of the Neck, the stain of bastardy was still very prevalent and it was only because of someone very vivacious at Winterfell that allowed him to grow up without it tainting his mind. It also didn't help that Autumn was eyeing him up and down, in a manner akin to a wolf examining its game.

Before Lord Bolton could respond, Jocelyn intervened. "There, there, Brandon. He's merely being curious, aren't you, my lord?"

"Indeed, my queen," Rogar Bolton bobbed his head as the three moved on to greet Lord Dorren Manderly.

Rogar Bolton was one of those lords who one could never really be sure of, which was made more complicated given the bloody history between the Red Kings and the Kings of Winter. While Rogar Bolton never stepped out of line and paid his dues in taxes and in levies, the latter being accomplished with the four thousand troops sent to Moat Cailin, Brandon and Torrhen had also heard some disturbing reports from the Dreadfort, with Lord Bolton being said to illegally engage in flaying his prisoners and forcing himself on lowborn women. Thankfully, no bastards were born from his latter activities as far as they both knew and both of them hoped that his son and heir, Gage Bolton, would take over the Dreadfort soon, as he had heard nothing but good things of Lord Gage from Lord Manderly, with whom he fostered at White Harbour.

Moving back to Torrhen and Jocelyn greeting Dorren Manderly, Brandon observed the Lord of White Harbour engaged in deep conversation with the King in the North. "Thank you for coming, Dorren," Torrhen greeted him.

"Not at all, Your Grace," Dorren Manderly grinned as he straightened his silk cloak lined with heavy furs. Brandon fought the urge to laugh at the ostentatious display by Lord Dorren, as they acted like southron lords in showing off their wealth. However, the Manderlys were reliable and the heir to White Harbour, Warrick, had done House Stark a great service by treating with the Targaryens at Dragonstone. It was from that meeting where Torrhen and the northern lords were able to gain a basic understanding of the last dragonlords of Valyria.

"I trust the gifts to our guests are in good order?" Torrhen asked.

"They are, King Torrhen," Dorren affirmed. "This is not the south, but I was able to procure luxuries that are hard to come by for even the Gardeners."

"And I hope your knowledge of High Valyrian has been brushed up, my lord, in order to make our guests be more at ease with each other," Jocelyn joined in.

Dorren nervously chuckled. "I only know a few words, my queen, but I shall my best."

"We know you will," Torrhen finished before moving on. But like with Rogar Bolton, Brandon saw his brother and good-sister becoming awkward with their next guest.

Lord Commander of the Night's Watch Maron Hoare was dressed in raven black leathers and cloaks, as customary of his fellow black brothers. Brandon had heard of his exploits at the Wall, rising through the ranks to become Lord Steward before being elected its commander. And yet despite being able to achieve his wishes of being away from his own family and people, the years had not been kind to the brother of Black Harren. His black hair and beard had turned to white and wrinkles had formed all over his face even he had seen forty name-days. He also had a distinctive hunch, which indicated that he viewed himself lowly.

Torrhen shook Maron Hoare's hand, and Brandon could see that Black Harren's brother didn't hold a very good strong grip, reminding him of why the ironborn hadn't served with the Watch's rangers and the reason why he left his home in the first place.

"I trust that the Wall is in capable hands while you're here, Lord Hoare," Torrhen addressed him.

"Yes, King Torrhen," Maron Hoare replied. "My First Ranger and Lord Steward are more than able to handle the affairs of the Wall in my absence."

"I'll be frank with you, Lord Hoare," Torrhen went straight to the issue. "I was against allowing you to come here because of who your brother was and what your people are, but my wife and my brother persuaded me otherwise. And then, I realized that it would not send a good message if my house allowed personal considerations to affect the North's relationship with the Watch. But I must ask you something, my lord."

"Anything, King Torrhen."

"We're about to meet the very people who killed your former king and wiped out most of your house. Not just responsible, but personally dealt the killing blow against your brother and many of your nephews at Harrenhal, and they may not be receptive to treating with an ironborn in this hall. With that being said, will your family ties jeopardize this summit? If so, you are free to return to Castle Black and I shall act on your behalf in regards to the affairs on the Wall."

Brandon and Jocelyn eyed the ironborn black brother nervously, as did the rest of the northern lords and ladies. As Lord Commander, Maron Hoare had ten thousand swords at his fingertips and could march them all southwards in support of his nephew Darvin.

Eyeing Torrhen straight, Maron Hoare exhaled before standing resolutely. "We're all human, King Torrhen. It is easy for us all to do our duty when there's no cost to it. Honor comes easy then. Yet sooner or later in our lives, there comes a day when honor does not come easy, a day when we must choose. The gods were cruel when they saw fit to test my vows. They waited till my vitality was spent. What could I do when the ravens brought news from the south? My brother ruining my house, dragons killing most of my family, and my mad-dog nephew ensuring that the Hoare name will die a slow death? I was helpless and confined to the cold when I heard it all."

_An ironborn taking his vows seriously… you don't see that everyday_, Brandon silently remarked.

"But that's in the past, and I shall live with my decision for the rest of my days. I'm a watcher on the Wall and my first loyalty is to my fellow brothers in black. You have my word that my previous family ties shall not interfere with my duties to the Wall, which I have come to conduct on this day," Maron Hoare promised.

Unfortunately for him, most of the northern houses scoffed at the ironborn's promises. As for Brandon, he was confident that the Watch would remain neutral, but it didn't hurt to be extra cautious.

"I hope we can take your word on that, my lord," Jocelyn cautioned him before Torrhen moved on to continue welcoming the other lords and ladies.

After saying his greetings to Lords Dustin, Cerwyn, Poole, and Hornwood, Brandon beamed when Torrhen lastly came to the Mormont sisters, Bethany and Lyanara. While Bethany was older and thus the Lady of Bear Island, Lyanara was just as influential as she was when it came to matters in their house. Lyanara was the tallest of the Mormont sisters and preferred a mace to a sword, while Bethany was the most willful and quick of them. However, none in the North doubted their combat prowess, having made their names by emerging as champions of various melees before the untimely passing of their father and even beating Marlon Umber one time. Also, many in the north vied for their hands, for they represented the essence of the wild beauty of the north, being as elegant and graceful in dance, song, and dresses as they were comfortable with arms and mail.

"Your Grace," Bethany greeted Torrhen while she and Lyanara curtseyed.

Torrhen snorted while outstretching his arms. "Come now, Beth. That's no way to greet your cousin."

Bethany obliged and pulled the King in the North in for a strong hug befitting a bear. "Good to see you, Torry," she called Torrhen by his childhood nickname. The Mormonts were family, so they were allowed to be so familiar with their king.

Torrhen enthusiastically returned the hug. "Great to see you, Beth. Been a year since I've last saw you."

"How's Ben?" Bethany asked after Torrhen's eldest son and heir.

"Very good. He seems to be looking forward to the day he is allowed to enter a melee."

"I hope it's soon. Want to see him test his steel against Longclaw," Bethany smirked.

"Be careful what you wish for, Beth," Jocelyn lightly warned. "He's part-bear, so he might be as fierce as you are."

"Looking forward to seeing how those in the swamp fight, considering Ben is also of the Neck," Lyanara jested with Jocelyn.

Such times with the Mormonts were what made Brandon feel so grateful to those from Bear Island. He didn't qualify as a proper lord given his bastard status. Fortunately, he wasn't irrationally scolded for that and was raised as a Stark by his father, King Harald, and his wife and queen, Gilliane Mormont Stark. In fact, Queen Gilliane was more of a mother than Brandon's birthmother ever was, pushing him to be the best warrior he could be and having him be fostered at Last Hearth to get some experience fighting with wildlings. She even gifted him with a top-quality sword as a present for thirteenth name-day. It was because of her that Brandon became confident in himself despite the rather sordid circumstances of his birth.

"My lords and ladies of the North," King Torrhen addressed to all in the great hall. "Thank you all for arriving here to Widow's Watch. First off, I'd like to thank Lord Flint for agreeing to host his noble body in his very home." The northern lords and ladies cheered their approval for Lord Flint, who humbled accepted the praise. "This day is a very exceptional occasion for it will the first time that the First Men will treat with the remnants of old Valyria. Now, I understand that some of you have voiced your grievances in meeting the last dragonlords in the world given what has happened at Harrenhal and to Argilac Durrandon."

The northern lords murmured, all understandably nervous with how the summit with the dragons would progress. As for Brandon, he already knew the outcome of the summit but he had to let the current events run their course.

"However," Torrhen continued. "I'm sure that the happenings in the south have concerned us all, with the Faith managing to rally the Lannisters, the Gardeners, and the Arryns in order to eradicate the Valyrians. While the Valyrians are not one of us and my predecessors would not concern themselves with southern affairs, my brother, Brandon Snow," Torrhen pointed to Brandon. "Has warned of the threat posed by the Faith's holy war. Now, all of you are aware of my brother Brandon and what he is capable of, all I can ask is that you trust his words on the results of our meeting with the dragons."

"While no one would dare question your brother in your presence, my king," Rogar Bolton spoke up. "I am curious as to what he thinks will be the results of our treating with the Valyrians."

"All will be explained in due time, my lord," Jocelyn spoke for Torrhen. "For now, let us prepare for our esteemed guests and to speak with open minds."

Rogar Bolton respectfully bowed to Queen Jocelyn. "Of course, Your Grace."

The heads and representatives of the northern houses took their seats, with the Mormonts seated closed to the king's table on their left. Brandon set to the left of Torrhen, a seat that was usually reserved for Bennard Stark, heir to Winterfell and the Crown of Winter. However, Torrhen left Bennard in charge of Winterfell until they returned from Widow's Watch. Also, having Brandon sit right next to the King in the North emphasized to the northern houses and hopefully to their guests of the esteem he had to the Starks.

Just as ale and wine was served, everyone in the great hall heard dragon roars pierce through their small conversations. Naturally, all stopped drinking and looked around the hall in fear, the tales of the dragons' deeds against Black Harren greatly affecting their impressions of the dragons. But having already conversed with Rhaenys Targaryen, Brandon wasn't worried and merely set down his cup.

"Seems like our guests have finally arrived," Brandon remarked.

"So it would seem," Torrhen replied. "My lords and ladies, please calm down! No harm will come to us."

"How do you know that, my king?" Rogar Bolton asked.

"If the dragons wanted to harm us, we would be roasting alive by now," Brandon pointed out. "Torry, I'll go outside and see our guests in. It will help if at least one of them saw a familiar face."

"Go ahead, Bran," Torrhen pointed to the door. "But be careful."

"Hey, it's me. Come on, boy," Brandon spoke with confidence before walking out of the great hall with Autumn. If he had to guess, the courtyard was too big for all of the four dragons, so the only logical place for them to land was outside the walls of Widow's Watch.

Walking through the raised portcullis, Brandon scanned the skies while Autumn sat down on his hind legs. Hearing wing flaps, he turned around and saw four large shapes fly past the towers of Widow's Watch and past him before turning around. He was able to see their riders, all of their violet eyes staring back at his grey eyes and their silver hair waving against the air, as the dragons opened their wings and landed hard on the ground.

The black dragon got Brandon's attention first, as it was the largest of the four. _That must be Balerion_, he thought. He then looked over the other dragons and recognized each one by their colors. the dragon with orange scales mixed with gray was Vhagar, the blue-green one was called Cloudwynd, and he knew the last one was called Meraxes. How he knew was because he had met Meraxes before, but in a dream. _Nice to finally meet the actual Meraxes_.

Brandon turned to his right and saw Autumn get on all four of his legs and move towards the dragons as they also stomped their way towards him. Just before they closed the distance, all of the dragons roared, their bellows combining into one as they directed them to the him and Autumn. However, he remained calm and stood his ground as the dragons stopped thundering. As for Autumn, he also stood still but kept growling as the dragons neared their heads towards the direwolf.

The dragons puffed their hot breaths towards the direwolf, but Autumn just stared back at them and was in a position where he could pounce. Most would laugh at a wolf trying to take on a dragon, but a direwolf was connected to an essence that ran deeper than that before the First Men and would not be intimidated by other creatures.

Brandon saw the dragons slightly become calm, sensing that Autumn was not going to be frightened by their growls and the possibility of their breaths turning into flames. He looked up and saw the riders watching the whole display, most of them confused at what was happening. All except the rider on the silvery dragon, who had an older woman holding on to her from behind. _We meet at last, Rhaenys Targaryen_, Brandon recognized.

Balerion and Meraxes lowered themselves to the ground, allowing their riders, which included an older man, to move onto the ground while the other two riders merely slid off theirs. Once they saw that their riders were safely on the ground, the four dragons lifted themselves up and launched into the air, roaring as they flew in circles.

Brandon took in all of the riders as they approached him and Autumn. "My lords and ladies, on behalf of House Stark and of the northern houses, I welcome you to Widow's Watch."

"And who might you be, my lord?" one of the younger male dragonriders asked.

"You're Lord Snow, aren't you?" Rhaenys looked at Brandon up and down.

Brandon smiled. "Good to finally meet you in person, Lady Rhaenys."

"Likewise," Rhaenys held out her hand, which Brandon kissed courteously. She turned to the direwolf. "And this is Autumn?"

"Yes, it is," confirmed Brandon. "And you can pet her if you want. She doesn't bite."

Rhaenys wasted no time to reach for Autumn's head. While his direwolf was hesitant to have strangers touch him, he sensed Brandon's ease with their guests and relaxed. After she ran his head through his fur, Autumn extended his tongue and took in her soft touch.

"He likes you, Lady Rhaenys," Brandon remarked. Rhaenys ignored him as she continued to pet the direwolf.

"_Looks more like an overgrown lump of fur, if you ask me_," the other younger male dragonriders said in High Valyrian to who he assumed was Visenya Targaryen Belaerys. Although Brandon knew the language, he kept that to himself until the most opportune time.

"Very nice to meet you, Lord Snow," one of the younger male dragonriders extended his hand. "I am Aegon Targaryen, son of Aerion and Valaena Targaryen, heir to Dragonstone, and husband to Rhaenys."

Brandon shook his hand. "Likewise, Lord Aegon. I've heard much about you and your exploits, as have the rest of the north."

"Thank you, my lord. I'm flattered," Aegon replied with humility. _He isn't pretentious, which is one of the things Westeros needs now_.

"And you must be Lady Visenya," Brandon turned to the warrior dragon. "Your reputation precedes you, my lady."

"And yours also, Lord Brandon," Visenya answered as Brandon kissed her hand in greeting. "I've heard much about from my sister and my parents."

"I am sure," Brandon smirked. "Ah, Jaenyx Belaerys. From what I hear, I can't choose whether to like you or to abhor you. No one questions your prowess in the field, but I heard talk that you're quite callous to anyone who you think wronged you."

Visenya blinked, taking an affront to Brandon already trying to rile up her husband. Rhaenys and Aegon looked at the two nervously, anxious to how their good-brother would react.

Fortunately, Jaenyx remained calm. "People choose what they want to believe, Lord Brandon," he answered with a distinct Valyrian lilt. "Their minds… cannot comprehend complex truths and if you try to please everyone, you please no one at all."

Brandon's eyelids flicked, taking in Jaenyx's words, before chuckling and therefore putting the rest at ease. "No truer words have I heard, Lord Jaenyx. You must have a lot of experience with people, don't you?"

Jaenyx let out a small grin. "Both on the inside and the outside, my lord," he cryptically replied. Brandon smiled back, because he knew exactly what he was talking about. _Better not show that yet_.

"My lords and ladies, if you would. The northern houses and the King in the North are expecting you in the great hall," Brandon gestured them to follow him.

"You mean your brother?" Rhaenys pointed out.

"Brother he may be, he is still my king. Propriety must be followed," Brandon said sheepishly.

"You have no idea how refreshing it is for a naturally-born son to not be so uncertain of himself," Rhaenys said.

Brandon appreciated her politeness. "Right, you have a brother like that also, Orys Baratheon if I recall his name." The mention of his name made her and the rest shift uncomfortably. "Oh, I apologize. I know of his current circumstances and I can only imagine what you all must be feeling."

"Thank you, Lord Brandon," Aerion said.

"You're welcome. Right, to the hall."

Brandon had a servant provide the Targaryens and Jaenyx Belaerys with bread and salt, which they took but he could see how they rolled their eyes at the custom. _The Targaryens still respect the tradition, but I'm more worried about Lord Belaerys. He better not step on too many toes with his bigotry_.

The doors of the great hall opened, to reveal the large body of northern houses gathered under the roof of Widow's Watch. With Autumn at his side, Brandon led the dragonlords through the hall, which was adorned with the banners of houses such as the Mormonts, Karstarks, Glovers, Manderlys, Umbers, Reeds, Hornwoods, Pooles, and Boltons. Every northern lord and lady eyed the Valyrian party with caution, unsure what to think of the last people in the world who could control dragons.

Brandon stopped just in front of the table where Torrhen and Jocelyn sat. "Your Grace," he projected while respectfully addressing his brother in front of their guests. "May I present House Targaryen of Dragonstone and their ally, House Belaerys of the Basilisk Isles?" He stepped aside to allow the dragonlords to say their own introductions.

"Your Grace," Aerion dipped his head in respect. "I am Aerion of House Targaryen, Lord of Dragonstone in the Blackwater Bay."

"King Torrhen," Valaena curtseyed in deference to Brandon's brother. "I am Valaena of House Targaryen, second daughter of Lucaerys Velaryon, Master of Driftmark and Lord of the Tides, and Lady of Dragonstone."

Aegon gave a slight bow with his head. "I am Aegon of House Targaryen, Your Grace. Heir to Dragonstone and rider of the dragon Balerion."

Like their mother, Rhaenys and Visenya also curtseyed. "I am Rhaenys of House Targaryen, King Torrhen. Wife of Aegon Targaryen and rider of the dragon Meraxes."

"I am Visenya of House Belaerys, Your Grace. Eldest child of Aerion and Valaena Targaryen, wife of Jaenyx Belaerys, and rider of the dragon Vhagar."

Brandon anxiously waited for how Jaenyx Belaerys would respond. While he trusted that Jaenyx was not dumb enough to disrespectfully address a king, his previous history of prejudice would not help matters. _Please don't fuck this up, Lord Jaenyx_.

Thankfully, Jaenyx dipped his head like Aegon. "King Torrhen, I am Jaenyx of House Belaerys, Lord of the Vulture's Roost in the Red Mountains and rider of the dragon Cloudwynd."

Brandon exhaled in relief.

"_Never have I met a more unclean bunch in my life_," Jaenyx snorted to Visenya, who laughed.

Unfortunately for Jaenyx, Brandon understood and laughed.

"What's so funny, Bran?" Torrhen asked with curiosity.

"Well, it appears that Lord Jaenyx does not have a very good opinion on our cleanliness, Your Grace." That prompted scoffs among the northern houses, all of who did not follow the southern standards that Jaenyx had grown accustomed to.

Jaenyx was surprised. "_You speak High Valyrian, Lord Snow_?"

"_I do_," Brandon nodded. "_It is wise to study the ways of one's adversaries, wouldn't you agree_?"

"_Is that you think we are, my lord?_"

Brandon smirked. "_Of course not. Then again, it's always useful to know when someone upsets you in another tongue, something you know very well, my lord_."

"Huh," Jaenyx managed, but was more amused with Brandon than he was angry with him. Then, he gave Brandon a respectful nod. _I look forward to our next conversation, Lord Jaenyx of House Belaerys_.

King Torrhen took them all back to the matter at hand. "If you are done, Brandon. Thank you for coming all this way, my lords and ladies. I understand that you have a war going on, but I appreciate you all taking the time to come here to discuss important matters here in the north. I wish it was under better circumstances."

"You and I wish the same, Your Grace," Aerion spoke.

"Indeed. Lady Rhaenys," Torrhen turned his attention to the youngest Targaryen. "Am I correct in understanding that you have met my brother before, Brandon Snow?"

Rhaenys swallowed down her throat, as if thinking how to say the next words. "You are, Your Grace." This made many of the northern lords and ladies curious as to how a dragonlord met their king's bastard brother.

"Would you be so kind as to explain how you know him?" Torrhen asked.

Rhaenys looked to Brandon for answers. _She doesn't want to be seen as crazy, which I understand. But her words are necessary_. He nodded and Rhaenys prepared herself. Her parents and her siblings also eyed anxiously.

"I met him twice, Your Grace, through a spiritual connection." That raised some eyebrows among the northmen gathered.

"Can you please elaborate, my lady?" Torrhen pressed. However, Brandon knew that this was more for the northern houses, as he already knew of the communication they both shared.

Rhaenys spent a good part of the hour explaining to the northern body the connection shared between both her and Brandon. While a few like Bethany and Lyanara Mormont and Ethan Reed had seen Brandon's greensight firsthand and some like Dorren Manderly trusted what she had to say, others like Marlon Umber and Larence Karstark were quick to skepticism. However, they had the decency to let her finish her account, especially since they saw their king listen with intent.

After Rhaenys finished, Rogar Bolton was unsurprisingly the first to question her story. "Your Grace, no disrespect intended to our esteemed guests, but I find it hard to believe that a dragonspawn with no connection to us First Men would be able to communicate with one of ours."

Brandon saw Jaenyx and the Targaryens take offense before Marlon Umber stepped in. "It cannot be true!" bellowed the Lord of Last Hearth. "Magic has not been seen in the north for many centuries. And now we have to believe the mad tales of a dragonspawn claiming to be able to talk through dreams?"

"Lord Umber speaks for all of us," Larence Karstark expressed. "These people are foreigners! They had no connection with the North or any part of Westeros until a century ago, and they just lied about on their tiny island. The question we should be asking is, why is this happening now and why should we believe it?"

"You're wrong on that count, Lord Larence," Bethany Mormont responded. "I have seen personally the abilities of Brandon Snow, the brother of my king and cousin. Any doubts I had of his abilities were cast aside when I saw him bond with his direwolf, who only those carrying the blood of the Warg King could do. Is it really hard to believe that he can communicate through dreams?"

"Lady Bethany speaks the truth, my lord," Ethan Reed made his presence known. "I have seen many things in the swamps of the Neck, things that made me question what I thought was real. And Brandon Snow had told me things that only those gifted with foresight could say. So, I trust what Lady Rhaenys had spoke of just now."

"Respectfully, Lord Ethan," Joseth Glover said. "The Mormonts and the Reeds are related to House Stark, either by marriage or by blood. It's only natural that family would defend the deeds among its members, no matter how outrageous they seem."

"I must disagree with you there, Lord Glover," Warrick Manderly stepped in. "I am the only one here besides Lord Snow to have seen the lords and ladies of Dragonstone. If what Lady Rhaenys said were untrue, they wouldn't have welcomed me or gave me hospitality when my party and myself arrived. They also wouldn't have recognized Lord Snow's name if they exchanged no words prior to my arrival."

That temporarily quieted the doubters. House Manderly practiced the Faith and had every reason to disparage the very people the Starry Sept condemned as infidels.

"I must add, my lords," Torrhen spoke. "If any of you doubted the reasoning I provided when I had you all send your banners to Moat Cailin, you wouldn't have answered my call."

"Yes, Your Grace. We all remember you saying that Lord Snow foresaw the Faith declaring a holy war on the Valyrians and that such an act was a threat against us as believers of the Old Gods," Larence Karstark agreed. "While we will fiercely protect the old ways against all those that seek their end, what is the role of the Valyrians? Why do we treat with the dragons, who are as likely to burn us like they did the ironborn?"

Brandon saw the Targaryens and Jaenyx listen silently to the exchanges between the northern lords. He knew that they were all merely absorbing the atmosphere in the great hall amongst the northern houses and were waiting to see where it all went. That was when he decided to step in again.

"Lord Karstark," Brandon spoke. "I sent a letter to Dragonstone, which was delivered personally by Lord Warrick. I spoke a pact similar to the one made between the First Men and the Children of the Forest, which was necessary to safeguard our people against the Long Night. I spoke of a pact of ice and fire, where we must fight to protect everything we hold dear against the unnatural forces that seek to destroy them. With the Faith declaring a holy war against the Valyrians, how long do you think it will be before the followers of the new gods decided to turn on those following the old gods?"

Murmurs broke out in the great hall, all of the northern houses, except the Mormonts, the Reeds, and some among the Manderlys remaining quiet but trusting of Brandon's words.

"No one can deny your loyalty to your house and to the North, Lord Snow," Joseth Glover called out. "However, none of us were made privy to the details of this 'pact of ice and fire' as you call it. I believe I speak for all of us in that we might be more amenable if you care to elaborate what this pact entails."

Several "ayes" were heard in the great hall. Brandon looked to Torrhen, who was unsure of what to say next. However, he was the only one besides Warrick Manderly and Jocelyn who knew of the particulars of the pact. Brandon gave him a nod while mouthing to him, "Best to pull the arrow out before it festers."

Torrhen stood up from his chair, with Jocelyn rising with him. "To start, I ask Houses Targaryen and Belaerys on behalf of the North to assent to our annexation of the Twins and the Three Sisters in exchange for our help in the struggle against the Faith."

Brandon saw Rhaenys, Aegon, and Lady Valaena talk to their father, Visenya, and Jaenyx on the terms offered by Warrick Manderly. After a short moment, their father nodded in agreement. "That can be arranged, Your Grace. I have no objection to giving the Twins to the North, as House Frey has broken faith with our house and therefore will need a new overlord. As for the Three Sisters, they belong to an enemy of ours, but we shall not object to you taking them."

"I'm glad that you agree to our terms, Lord Aerion," Torrhen grinned. The northmen also nodded, seeing the terms as acceptable.

"But Your Grace," Marlon Umber voiced out. "While we agree to the terms given, I fear that there is more to this pact, from how you and Lord Snow described it." The northern lords and ladies were also eager to know what else the pact included.

As for Brandon, he looked at his brother and gave him a look that said, "What are you doing? Why are you delaying?" He might have understood if Torrhen wanted to ease the northern houses into the more important part of the summit, but time was of the essence.

Seeing Brandon's growing impatience, Torrhen exhaled, preparing himself for the incoming shitstorm that would strike with his next words. He might not have liked what Brandon revealed to him, but he trusted Brandon enough to take the next major step in their summit. "My lords and ladies, for the pact of ice and fire to be fully consummated, I must forthwith declare on this day and for all days and years to come to surrender my crown and swear fealty to the dragons on behalf of House Stark and all of the north."

Silence swept through the great hall, the northern lords stupefied by what their king just said. Brandon looked at the dragonlords and saw nothing but complete surprise from them, all except Aegon, Rhaenys, and Valaena, which didn't say much. He had revealed to those three how he saw their family rule all of the seven kingdoms of Westeros and more, so at least they were not as shocked as Lord Aerion, Lady Visenya, and Lord Jaenyx.

After what seemed like minutes, the entire hall was in an uproar, the northern lords yelling at the top of their voices, as arguments began to break out over what their king had said. Many called him a coward, a fool, and delusional, some called him a disgrace to the north and House Stark, and others shouted that they should kick out the dragonlords at once. At least, that's what Brandon thought they were yelling.

"TRAITOR!" one of the lords bellowed. "You spit on your ancestors!"

"Hold your tongue, my lord, or you shall lose it," Jocelyn warned.

"A king kneeling before a lord?!" Larence Karstark shouted with disdain. "Such a thing has never happened before and I will be damned before I see the King of Winter bow before dragonspawn."

"You forget who you're speaking to, my lord!" Bethany Mormont defended her cousin. Despite also somewhat disbelieving what Torrhen had just said, she would stand by her family no matter what.

"My lords, my lords!" Ethan Reed stepped in the middle of the hall, the crannogman lord manging to get everyone's attention and thus getting them all quiet. "I believe it is time that we heard exactly what Lord Snow has to say about this pact of ice and fire. Wouldn't it make sense to throw your insults after you heard all of the facts?"

None of the lords could deny that logic, but they begrudgingly turned their attention to Brandon. Taking a breath and exhaling, Brandon knew it was time to reveal at least the important details.

"My lords, the winds of change are in the air. The north will change. Westeros will change. The lives of our grandchildren and their grandchildren shall be determined within the moons ahead. However, how they shall change will be determined by our actions today. In the south is a grave threat against us as First Men and as worshippers of the Old Gods. Should the Faith succeed in wiping out the Valyrians, they shall turn their attention and finish what their ancestors failed to do. King Theon Stark might have beaten them off thousands of years ago, but there is no guarantee that we could hold them off again.

"The engine through which Westeros will change will not be of the North. The strength of the First Men in the south is too damaged and we cannot hope to safeguard our people and our traditions by our own strength alone. The only way that we can protect ourselves is standing right here in front of us," Brandon pointed to the dragonlords. "Despite the Doom, the fires of Valyria still burn strong and their dragons have already accomplished feats that has never been seen before in Westeros. Their cause against the Faith is our cause, for it was their followers that overturned the natural order of Westeros and disrupted the balance put in place by the First Men."

"And so," Torrhen joined with Brandon. "Through the Valyrians, we shall restore the natural order that stabilized Westeros after the Long Night and end the unnatural forces that have threatened to uproot it completely."

"How do you intend to accomplish that, my king?" Joseth Glover asked while still addressing him with his royal title.

"Brandon told me that the Valyrians will rule all of Westeros and beyond," Torrhen walked nearer to the dragonlords. "The north and the First Men shall become wealthier and more powerful than ever before, with our mark on the world being more permanent than that of King Theon Stark. The old ways and the worship of the old gods shall return to all of Westeros, while those of Valyria shall rise atop the ruins of the Faith. The ways of the First Men and of Valyria will coexist to remake the world where there shall be no place for unnatural forces. All of this will be accomplished, but only after I swear my house's and the North's fealty."

Brandon could see Aegon and Rhaenys gulp. Although they had Brandon's foreknowledge, to see it actually unfold in front of them was overwhelming. _Then again, the great forces of change in history are never easy to handle_.

"If that is the case," Rogar Bolton said. "It will be awkward for a king to fealty to a lord."

Brandon glared at the Lord of the Dreadfort. He could see how pleased he was at the whole situation, with the scheming already starting in his mind. As for the dragonlords, they gave Lord Bolton hard stares, obviously not appreciating the Boltons adding to the complications. _They better continue to view Lord Rogar with distrust_.

"I, for one, don't care for power and riches!" Marlon Umber shouted. "The Umbers followed a king named Stark for a thousand years and I will be damned before I see a king of mine kneel before upstarts." To Brandon's consternation, a few shouted their agreement with the Lord of Last Hearth, so he had to intervene.

"The Targaryens and Belaerys' are not upstarts, Lord Umber," Brandon corrected. "The Targaryens have resided in the Blackwater Bay for over a hundred years, and the Belaerys' were one of the most powerful dragonlord families in Valyria, so both houses have an understanding of what power is. And you're right, Lord Bolton," he stared at the Lord of the Dreadfort. "It will be awkward for a king to kneel before a lord. That's why I ask either Aerion or Aegon Targaryen to assume the title of king, King of Westeros."

Silence again swept through the great hall. However, there were no shouts of protest against Torrhen bending the knee to the dragonlords, as many in the hall came around to Brandon's words and were at least open to the idea of forming an alliance with the Valyrians. As for Aerion and Aegon, they were also shocked, but not so much for Aegon, as Brandon already told him, Rhaenys, and their mother.

"And how do you intend for the pact to be fully consummated?" Larence Karstark asked Brandon.

"Simple," Brandon answered. "The dragonlords will promise a future betrothal between a future daughter of House Stark and a future heir of House Targaryen?"

Now that, Rhaenys, Aegon, and their mother did not expect. Rhaenys looked to Aegon, confusion in their faces.

"And with the marriage between the future heir of House Targaryen and the daughter of House Stark, the blood of the First Men shall rule Westeros," Brandon explained.

The northern lords murmured amongst themselves, but were now more amenable to the idea of a ruler of Westeros carrying First Men blood.

"Why do you ask me, Lord Snow?" Aegon asked. "My good-brother Jaenyx Belaerys is older and has led men longer than I have. You should ask him if he wants to be king. Also, I'm not sure if it was wise to bring up a betrothal when I don't have children yet."

"Jaenyx Belaerys shall be a king over his own domains, Lord Aegon," Brandon replied. "But, he is only a recent arrival to Westeros and therefore has no connection to this land. You and your house, on the other hand, have been here long enough to know what Westeros is. If there is anyone that has already proven to bring profound change to this land, it will be your family. However, the choice is now between either you or your father, Lord Aegon. And your first child will come soon, and our houses will connected in the future."

Aegon became more shocked, but he was brought out of his stupor by Aerion.

"Then, I shall step aside, Lord Snow," Aerion said. More murmurs broke out and Aegon looked at his father in shock.

"My lord," Torrhen addressed him. "I would suggest that you take a moment before making such a momentous decision. Today was undoubtedly trying for you and your family, so I extend to you the North's hospitality while all of you can discuss the matter at hand."

"We don't have time," Lord Aerion shook his head. "We need the strength of the North to fight alongside us today, but I will not waste another day by discussing the matter. I am too old and much of my strength has diminished over the years, and I cannot produce heirs anymore. So, I will be a shit king if I decide to pursue it." The northern lords chuckled, amused that a southern lord would be so unfiltered with his words. "Therefore, my son Aegon should be king."

"Father—" Aegon tried to say but he was cut off.

"But we will accept your hospitality and I will spend no more than a day trying to convince my son why this is the best course of action for us," Aerion said.

Torrhen nodded. "Of course, my lord. You and your family shall know the fabled hospitality of the north." He then addressed to the rest of the great hall. "My lords and ladies, that'll be all for today. We shall reconvene on the morrow to discuss our next action." With that, the northern houses were dismissed for the day.

Brandon led the dragonlords to the guest quarters of Widow's Watch, with Autumn at his side. He had no doubt that the Valyrians had many questions, but all of them would have to wait until later.

Brandon felt Rhaenys walk up beside him. "Is this what you meant by us being the rulers of the Seven Kingdoms?"

"Yes," Brandon simply answered. "And this is the first step, my lady. As your good-brother Lord Jaenyx said, all of you must think bigger and the war with the Faith merely shows you how important it is to do just that."

"I'm not sure that—"

"My lady," Brandon stopped to look at Rhaenys. "I can't give you all the answers, because to do so would only add to your and your family's confusion. Take the day to let this all sink in and we can discuss it fully on the morrow. But like your father said, you need to make a decision quickly, as the war in the south still rages on."

Rhaenys exhaled through her nose. "I do thank you for letting us know beforehand, although I wish you could've gave us more details."

"It had to be done in this way," Brandon answered. "And… seeing your faces when my brother told you of the pact did light up my day." He imitated their shocked faces.

Rhaenys scoffed. "See you on the morrow, Lord Snow. Hopefully, you don't do any brooding that'll give you wrinkles," she parted with her imitating a brooding face and giving a last pat to Autumn, who appreciated her touch. Brandon chuckled in amusement as he eyed each of the dragonlords. Aegon and Valaena nodded to him and Aerion and Visenya were unsure what to think of him.

However, Brandon needed to speak with Jaenyx a final time before they separated for the day. "_If you can spare a moment, Lord Belaerys_?"

Jaenyx gave Visenya a kiss before turning to Brandon. "_What do you want, Lord Snow?_"

"_I told the great hall that you will be a king over your own lands, and I have spoken the truth. But you will not rule Westeros in your lifetime_."

"_I don't really care, Lord Snow_," Jaenyx answered. "_But you say that I will be a king. Why will that be_?"

"_All of us have a purpose as dictated by the gods, whichever ones we choose to follow. For you, all I can say is that you will be important in restoring the ways of Valyria back to relevance, and your reign shall see Valyria emerged in a new and better form. You and your future queen, Visenya._"

"Hmmm…" Jaenyx managed to say. "_How do you know High Valyrian_?"

"_Every noble in Westeros receives an education in that tongue. I spent some time in White Harbour, where a Volantene tutored me. Brutal man he was, I was able to speak it during my time with him_."

"_Interesting life you must've had, Lord Snow_."

"_Indeed. Well," _Brandon turned to leave Jaenyx to catch up with his wife and her family. "_I look forward to our next conversation, Lord Jaenyx_."

"_Likewise, Lord Brandon_," Jaenyx bobbed his head before proceeding into the guest chambers.

Brandon exited the castle and after being informed helped the crew from the twenty vessels of House Velaryon dock near the castle and find suitable quarters for them. _It has begun_.

**A/N:**

**There was much to cover in this chapter and I hope did all of the northerners justice. I like the idea of Brandon Snow as a troll, since he is fully confident in his skin because he never was mistreated for being a bastard. Also, Torrhen's wife being a Reed was kind of fitting, given the Reeds' close relationship with the Starks in canon, and a Mormont being Torrhen's mother also seemed appropriate, as that would mean that Brandon had a encouraging mother figure who didn't care about him being a bastard, unlike a certain trout. **

**I'm not very good at writing humor (had to watch Monty Python and IN THE LOOP (2010) to get ideas), so I hope I did that well. Also, I hope I did the moment between the direwolf and the dragons well. **

**As for Torrhen declaring to swear fealty to the dragonlords, remember that in canon, he bent the knee after seeing the fight as unwinnable. However, given the changed circumstances, he's going to do that because he trusts Brandon's words. By declaring his fealty, he will not only preserve the ways of the First Men and the Old Gods in the north, he will play a crucial part in restoring the First Men and the Old Gods to the rest of Westeros while destroying the Faith, with the Valyrian gods and customs taking their place. Also, the north will become enriched and more powerful than ever before, since they would have a played a major part in the conquest of Westeros. More importantly, the pact of ice and fire will ensure that a king with the blood of the First Men shall rule Westeros, which should be enough to appease the northern lords.**

**I hope I handled all of the big character introductions and moments well, as this is probably the major turning point for the story. As I said, the northerners will be very important from this point on. **

**Next, we will see the dragonlords discuss the pact among themselves, and then the Battle of Gulltown. **


	32. Aegon VII

**A/N: I apologize for the delay in publishing the next chapter, but I was caught up in a lot of stuff, both in my studies and in my personal life. Hope you're not mad at me. **

**Also, I am about to publish another GOT fic, this one being set in canon events but with a very different twist, and so my attention was divided. The fic will be published soon, so please be on the lookout for that. **

**With ado, here is the next chapter.**

AEGON VII

Aegon shifted uncomfortably in the heavy furs their father made them all wear. They had never been this far north of the Neck and even during the summer years, the North was quite chilly and southerners like themselves needed to wear thick garments. However, their father was very familiar with how northerners behaved from his dealings with House Manderly and while appearances did not matter as much in the north, it didn't hurt to show respect to the north. So, their father had them all don thick furs and cloaks like the northmen and while they served their practical purpose, Aegon felt awkward wearing so much layers on his body. _Feel like a large heap of pelts right now_.

However, such a discomfort was the least of their concerns at the moment.

"Kepa, why did you do that?" Rhaenys asked their father on his decision to step down publicly in front of the northern houses.

"It's for the best, Rhae," their father reasoned.

"Wouldn't it have been better if you had discussed it with us before you announced it in public?" Visenya pointed out.

Their father shook his head. "What good would that had done, Vis? All of you would have been against it and I needed to stop the northern houses from seeing me as a king."

"But you're the oldest, kepa," Visenya responded. "As the head of our family, any crown should naturally be placed on your head."

Their father shook his head again. "We may be the rulers of the Blackwater Bay, but a crown? There's a reason Aenar Targaryen did not declare himself a king despite having five dragons with him, as not only did he not have the strength to fight the various kings in Westeros, such a thought never crossed his mind. And there is a difference between ruling as a lord and ruling as a king, and I am past the age where I can learn how to do the latter."

Rhaenys looked at their father in surprise. "What do you mean?"

"Look at me, Rhae. I'm an old bastard." Everyone in the room was taken aback by how he described himself. "Even though my health has improved since Vis' and Jaenyx's wedding, I cannot sire any more heirs. More importantly, I only know how to do things from how a lord would do them. There is a wide gap between the responsibilities of a lord and a king, and I am too old to be readjusted to the ways of a king."

"Kepa, don't say that," Rhaenys pleaded.

Their father gave her a sad smile. "It's the truth, tala. And to be honest with all of you, I've been looking to step down as Lord of Dragonstone for some time. I might be familiar with how lords scheme amongst each other, but any man's vitality doesn't last forever. The greatest mistake that any one in power can make is not realizing when to quit before your wits fail you. The most recent example is Black Harren, who we all saw how wretched he was when we burnt him and his family."

_Will that be my fate one day? _Aegon thought fearfully.

"And as Lord Snow said, change is coming to Westeros and I don't think I can cope with such a change in my current position," their father continued.

"Your father speaks the truth, riñar," their mother spoke. "As I told Egg and Rhae, he's hardly the inspiring man that he was over twenty years ago. And besides Black Harren, another good example is your grandfather, Daemion."

Aegon didn't know much about his hated grandfather other from that one time their father talked of him. Their mother was more forthcoming, as she revealed that their father was the product of an arranged marriage between Daemion and a daughter of Lord Celtigar, Crispian's grandfather, with House Celtigar offering a dowry that was enough to stabilize Dragonstone's financial situation at the time. Lord Daemion died in a freak accident before he could prepare their father to take over, whose education he delayed due to his whoring, and only with their mother was he able to mature into an able Lord of Dragonstone.

"It's past my time," their father admitted. "And if our family is going to get a crown, it needs a new head to take the helm. That's why I will step down when the time comes."

Aegon couldn't believe what he was hearing. _This is too soon. I may know how to lead an army, but I don't how to maneuver through politics_.

"And before any doubts enter your mind, Egg," their father turned to him. "Allow me to say this. You've led troops against the ironborn. You commanded forces against King Argilac. You helped keep our disparate troops united, and you showed that all of the years I've spent you training have paid off. You'll do fine as the head of our family."

Aegon still wanted to deny what his father was saying. "But what about you? What will you do?"

"I'm pretty sure you'll think of something, Egg," their father reassured him. "And as I said, I'm ill-prepared to guide our family through the new times, so I trust you will guide our house to better things."

Aegon exhaled before standing up straight. "I will do you proud, kepa."

Aerion clasped his shoulder strongly before pulling him into a hug. "You already have, Egg."

"What about you, Jae? What do you think of this whole thing?" Aegon had to ask his good-brother.

"_As I told Lord Snow, I don't care about being a king. At the same time, I'm not going to reject the opportunity to bring my people and our family to new heights. It's as I said, Egg. We have to think bigger and I think becoming a king is the first step. Also, it grants us legitimacy against our enemies_."

Aegon was confused. "What do you mean by that?"

"_While a crown as an object is just… a ring of metal, the significance of a crown has more substance. Our enemies are kings or queens, and they've been holding onto their crowns for thousands of years, probably as long as there were dragonlords in Valyria. While we encountered difficulties in our forces as lords, having a crown would change things in our favor._"

"How so?" Rhaenys was intrigued.

"_By assuming our own crowns, we challenge the legitimacy of our enemies and force them to treat us like equals. They won't be able to ignore our new status and they would be more committed to our destruction, as defeat for them would see centuries of their house's rule come tumbling down. We raise the stakes and therefore, we retake control of the situation_."

"We seize the initiative again," Visenya realized.

"Exactly," Jaenyx nodded. "And our troops are more likely to rally around a king than a lord, Egg."

Aegon took this all in. He never thought about being a king, but now, he was starting to see how necessary it was. But he needed to know something else. "What about you, Jae? What do you think of Lord Snow's words of you being a king?"

"_As I told him, I don't care about being a king. However, that's something to be dealt with at another time. Right now, we need to focus on getting the northmen fully on our side and marching their troops southward. We have to win, Egg. Otherwise, the last remnants of Valyria might be snuffed out for good._"

Aegon nodded. As they finished their discussion for the moment and were getting settled into their new chambers, a servant knocked on their door and told them that Torrhen Stark, his wife and queen Jocelyn, Brandon Snow, his good-father Ethan Reed, and his Mormont cousins wished to see them all in the lord's solar. However, they became uneasy when one of the people they would meet there was Maron Hoare, brother of Black Harren. Despite being the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, they all knew better than to be easy around an ironborn.

Led through the halls, the family came face to face with the Starks of Winterfell, the Lord of Greywater Watch, and the Ladies of Bear Island. At the far left of Torrhen was the ironborn black brother, his raven cloak failing to conceal how the years had not been kind on Lord Hoare. _He's like his brother in that regard_.

"Thank you for coming, my lords and ladies," Torrhen addressed them with their lordly titles. "I am sure that the occurrences of yesterday have been trying for you all."

"It has been, King Torrhen," their father responded. He was still the Lord of Dragonstone after all.

"Don't know if I'll be a king any longer, Lord Aerion," Torrhen pointed out. "I trust Brandon's abilities enough to take such a momentous step for our house and he says that such a move would benefit the north as much as it will help you and your family."

"So we've been told," their mother spoke. "And as we're in more private settings, perhaps we can be more forthcoming with each other."

"Of course, my lady," Torrhen gestured all of them to sit. However, Aegon spared a glance to the ironborn black brother, who looked indifferent to them. _If anyone killed my brother, I would be much less collected than him_.

"So, starting with the more pressing matters," Torrhen began. "I have forty thousand troops at Moat Cailin ready to march across the Neck and towards our soon-to-be adversaries. They are fresh, intact, and eager for combat. Many of my most able bannermen have contributed their troops to the muster at Moat Cailin, specifically the Umbers, the Karstarks, the Manderlys, the Glovers, and the Mormonts. Thanks to my brother Brandon, they recognize the danger posed by the Faith's holy war and are ready to safeguard the last true bastion of the First Men. But, a pact has to be formed between us before thousands of northmen are committed to the war in the south."

"Yes, you made us aware of your terms. The Twins and the Three Sisters, and you expect your future daughter to marry my future son and heir to consummate the pact," Aegon answered.

"Exactly. While us northmen would rarely concern ourselves with the affairs of the south, the northern houses would become more attentive should someone carrying First Men blood become the ruler of all Westeros."

"And while those terms are acceptable, King Torrhen," Aerion said. "I fear that our family allowing non-Valyrian blood to enter our own would weaken our family. Pure Valyrian blood is needed to bond with the dragons and thus allowing us to remain connected with the one creature that best symbolizes our heritage. Part of the reason why I had Lord Belaerys marry my eldest daughter was to bring in new dragonlord blood to strengthen ours."

"You're correct, my lord, but to an extent," Brandon Snow spoke up. "If we were Andals or any other people with no definitive connection to the magic of this world, your concerns would be well-founded. However, House Stark has the blood of Brandon the Builder, the Warg King, and the Marsh King in our veins, so if there is one house left in Westeros that has a deep connection to magic, it'll be ours."

"And your point being?" Aerion asked.

"Lord Aerion," Brandon continued. "Your reasoning to have Jaenyx Belaerys married to your eldest daughter was sound, as he does come from another dragonlord family and thus would any children he sired would have richer dragon blood, but there is also a danger of keeping magical bloodlines separate as time passes."

"We're not following," Aegon shook his head.

"I won't go into the details regarding our progenitor's connection to magic, Brandon the Builder, as that would take too long. However, when the Starks married the brood of the Warg King and later the Marsh King, our ancestors gained access to abilities such as skinchanging and the greensight. Granted, not every Stark was able to possess such abilities, but the potential was only made possible after both bloodlines were combined with that of Brandon the Builder's. It's the only reason why I have the sight."

"And you think that if a daughter of House Stark married a dragonlord, the magical properties in our blood would be amplified?" Jaenyx asked.

"Precisely," Brandon confirmed.

Aegon turned and saw Jaenyx nodding, who seemed to now understand what Brandon was saying. "It all makes sense now, if we all think about it," Jaenyx stated.

"What do you mean, my lord?" Bethany Mormont inquired.

"One of my vassal houses, the Rahitheons, are descended from Rhoynish water wizards taken captive after the last Rhoynish war. Although they were not dragonlords, the fire of Valyria was present in their blood and combined with the water magic of the Rhoyne, their abilities as builders and engineers became unparalleled. Two disparate magical bloodlines coming together to create something stronger… Taygor said something that all of the magic in the world might have different forms, but they're all connected," Jaenyx explained.

"And he would be correct, Lord Belaerys," Brandon affirmed. "How did you think I was able to converse with Lady Rhaenys in the first place? We might have different magical origins, but it's magical nonetheless."

"While I would love to continue this discussion on magic," Aegon interrupted. "You said that the northerners would accept a ruler of Westeros if he or she had the blood of the First Men."

"And you saw all of their reactions, Lord Aegon," Ethan Reed pointed out. "They might not like to see their king kneel before outsiders, but they are not stupid to see the benefits of the pact between our peoples."

"Do you believe Lord Snow when he said that the North would become richer and more powerful than ever before?" Visenya remained skeptical.

"Lady Visenya, Lord Snow told me things that… would affect how I see what the future holds for me. Things that make me worried for my people," Ethan replied with fear. _Why are you afraid_?

"Would Lord Snow be kind as to divulge what he said to you that makes you worried for the future?" Rhaenys asked.

"I can't go into much detail, Lady Rhaenys, as being a glimpse into the future can lead to severe misinterpretations," Brandon said slowly but deliberately. "But… I saw a timeline where Lord Aerion and Lady Valaena are long dead, that Lord Aegon married both you and Lady Visenya, that you all conquered Westeros save Dorne, and that your house ruled for centuries before being usurped by your own family and the North suffered dearly as a result of that usurpation. As time went on, the magic in your blood weakened and all of your dragons died. I couldn't see clearly what happened to the dragons Balerion and Meraxes, but I saw the dragon Vhagar being killed by another dragon and its riders both holding the name Targaryen. The death of the dragons weakened your house for good in that timeline and by the time I was done with the sight, the two houses with the most powerful connections to magic were damaged beyond repair."

The blood in Aegon's veins ran cold because of all of Brandon's revelations. He couldn't imagine his mother and father dead and while he was happy that he was married to Rhaenys in the timeline Brandon saw, he was afraid of what had occurred between himself and Visenya after he married her like he initially was prepared to do. He shuddered at the thought of his older sister not having someone like Jaenyx give her the love and devotion that she needed.

But most of all, Aegon was stunned by what happened to his family in the timeline described by Brandon. While he was initially relieved that Brandon didn't know what happened to Balerion and Meraxes, the fact that there were more dragons and Vhagar killing another while both riders were Targaryens… _Is that the future of our house? We would really start killing each other_? Even more disturbing was Brandon revealing that all of the dragons would die. _Our family must've fucked up so bad as to allow our dragons to wither away_.

Aegon saw that his parents, Rhaenys, and Visenya had become paler upon hearing what Brandon divulged about their family's future. Jaenyx was also rightfully worried, as he understood that without dragons, the Valyrians had nothing to protect them or allow them strong connections to magic. But on top of that, he was shocked at the fate of his family in that timeline.

"May I ask why you did not include Dorne among our conquests, Lord Snow?" Visenya inquired.

"I will answer that when the time is right, Lady Visenya, as that is very dangerous information. But… just because I saw this timeline, it doesn't mean we have to submit to it. Whether the northerners want to accept or not, our fate is tied to the dragons now, in that timeline and this one. The events that I saw in that timeline can be avoided and the last people with connection to magic can come out stronger."

"That's why you agreed to the pact, King Torrhen?" Aegon turned to the King in the North.

"I've seen his sight in action, Lord Aegon. And I trust his words enough to take the vital but unpopular step to safeguard the North and our people," Torrhen replied.

"But as I said to you all, I don't have any children of my own, especially a son and heir," Aegon pointed out.

"You sure about that, my lord?" Jocelyn asked pointedly.

"What are you saying, Queen Jocelyn?" Aegon was confused.

"I think you should ask either your mother or your wife, Lord Aegon," Jocelyn replied.

Aegon turned to his mother, who glanced over to Rhaenys. "What is she talking about, Rhae?"

Rhaenys hesitated, but swallowing. "I… don't know if it has happened but I've been feeling strange for a few weeks now."

"I'll stop you there, Rhae," their mother intervened. "Yes, Egg. She's pregnant."

Jaenyx and Aerion coughed, evidently not expecting such news to come out at that moment, while Visenya smiled hopefully. As for Aegon, everything seemed to drown out at the thought of him and Rhaenys being parents.

"I… I… How do you know, muna?" Aegon managed.

"I carried all of you in my womb, Egg. And Queen Jocelyn also birthed children. Trust me, I know the signs of pregnancy. Didn't you notice how she started to prefer fish to auroch in the past few weeks, or how sensitive she became to manure, or how often she started to relieve herself?" their mother listed out to Aegon.

"Muna!" Rhaenys' face blushed at their mother talking of such things in front of strangers.

"Come now, Rhae," their mother replied. "It's only appropriate that we talk of children, as we're already on the subject."

"And so, Lord Aegon, you already have an heir on the way," Brandon smiled. "Just… be prepared for the smell. Besides the noise, babies sometimes come out riding on waves of turds-"

"Good gods, Bran," Torrhen looked at him in disgust. "Don't say that."

"Might as well prepare the future king of Westeros for when his wife produces many heirs. Who knows how much shit he will have to smell during that time?"

"Wait, wait," Rhaenys held up her hand, disbelieving what Brandon just said. "What do you mean by 'heirs?'"

"The child growing in your womb is just the first of many, Lady Rhaenys. For your and your husband's sakes… try not to take a shit while you do it."

"Bran!" Torrhen scolded. However, Jocelyn shook her head in amusement, as did the rest of their extended family.

"My congratulations to you, Lord Aegon, and to Houses Targaryen and Belaerys on behalf of House Mormont," Bethany stated.

"Congratulations, Lady Rhaenys," Ethan Reed offered. "I pray to the gods that you will give birth to a healthy and strong boy that would take over House Targaryen."

"Perhaps, in light of the recent news of Lady Rhaenys' pregnancy," Queen Jocelyn spoke up. "We should delay our discussions to allow our new allies to celebrate such wondrous news?"

"No, no," Aegon shook his head. "Time is of the essence, and I would rather celebrate with my family after we get everything set in stone."

"Are you sure, Lord Aegon?" Torrhen asked.

"I'm sure, King Torrhen."

They spent the next two hours going over the specifics of their pact. Besides confirming the betrothal to Aegon's now confirmed heir and a future daughter of House Stark, the North would march their host of forty thousand northmen across the Neck towards their first target, the Twins. While it was a smaller force compared to the one assembled by the Lannisters and the turncoat riverlords, the northmen would tip the balance in the riverlands to their favor and allow them to retake the strategic initiative. Once the riverlands were secure, they would then consolidate their forces and formalize a command structure.

"I would suggest we hold a ceremony where my brother and the lords sworn to your house would formally bend the knee to you and declare you King of all Westeros after the riverlands are retaken fully," Brandon Snow recommended. "A crown has meaning only after we're in a position of strength."

"I agree, Lord Snow," Aerion nodded. "In that ceremony, I will also formally sign over the lordship of Dragonstone to Aegon and step down as head of House Targaryen. That would give him the legitimacy he needs before a crown is placed on his and Rhaenys' head."

"That leaves the question of Jaenyx and Visenya Belaerys," Jocelyn added. "If Lord Aegon and Lady Rhaenys become king and queen, what would their titles? What would be their statuses?"

Aegon knew that Jocelyn asked an important question. While he was happy that Visenya would also be a queen, Brandon Snow stated that she and Jaenyx would rule over their own lands in the future. "As Lord Snow already hinted at their future stations, it only makes sense if my sister and good-brother are treated on the same level as myself and Rhaenys. But until Jaenyx and Visenya become rulers in their own right, there can only be one king and queen. At the ceremony, I will proudly declare both of them as Prince and Princess."

Aegon saw Jaenyx and Visenya lower their heads, taking all of this in, before he caught their smiles in gratitude.

"That's sensible, Lord Aegon," Torrhen nodded.

"But while our armies move against the Lannisters and the Faith, we have to rescue Lord Baratheon from their clutches," Ethan Reed stated. "He's one of your best commanders and we need him to keep the stormlords on our side, as he proved himself a worthy leader of the stormlords. We can't have one kingdom committed while we potentially lose another."

"That's going to be a problem, my lord," Jaenyx answered, gaining everyone's attention. "Before we flew here, I got a report from one of my agents in the riverlands at the last possible moment. That report said that Lord Orys was nearing his destination at Casterly Rock, the seat of House Lannister, and I can only assume that he's there by now."

"Great," Torrhen remarked sarcastically. "Now, any chance of rescuing Lord Baratheon has evaporated, as no army has succeeded in taking Casterly Rock throughout its long history as the seat of the Lannisters. We can't hope to besiege it and we can't even hope to advance that far into Lannister lands without crossing its mountains, which by itself is not an easy task."

"What if we don't have to cross the mountains by foot?" Jaenyx asked. "What if we don't need an army to rescue him?"

"What are you suggesting?" Aegon asked with curiousity.

"Besides having dragons, everyone in this room must be aware of the actions at Haystack Hall, where myself and my wife Visenya were able to infiltrate and subdue the garrison there with help from experts in assassination and secret warfare. They won't be expecting such an action at a place like Casterly Rock, so I suggest we exploit that arrogance."

"No, no, no," Aegon stopped him. "This is not Haystack Hall. You're talking about a fortress built inside a mountain many times the size of the Hightower. There will be at least hundreds, maybe thousands, of troops garrisoning that keep alone, and that's not including the elaborate layouts that we have no knowledge of. You can't expect to pull off a rescue in a place like that, Jae."

"And that way of thinking," Jaenyx interrupted him. "Is why this can work. They'll be so lulled into a false sense of security that they'll let their guard down and they won't be expecting a small force to ably infiltrate and snatch one of their most valuable prisoners away to safety."

"I don't like it, Jae. You'll be putting yourself at risk and I don't know if Vis could handle it."

"You won't have to worry about me, Egg," Visenya spoke. "I will be coming with him."

"Even more reason to be against it. I can't have my brother and sister consent to such risks against them."

"Egg, we're in a war. Sometimes, we have to take huge risks to defeat our enemies, and we already took a few from the moment we set foot on the mainland. Don't you trust us?" Jaenyx asked, hoping that Aegon would answer in the affirmative.

Aegon sighed, seeing that there was no persuading Jaenyx and Visenya otherwise. "I do trust you both, but we just want you all to be safe and come back to us alive."

"Don't worry about us, Egg," Jaenyx clasped his shoulders while slightly squinting his right eye and giving him a smile.

"Before we discuss further the rescue of Lord Baratheon and the war, I must bring your attention to the representative of the Night's Watch, Lord Commander Maron Hoare," Torrhen said. "He has important matters of the Wall to discuss with you."

Aegon instantly became displeased with having to deal with the brother of Black Harren. It bothered him that they were not able to burn everyone of House Hoare at Harrenhal. _The only thing that's keeping him alive is his position as the leader of the Night's Watch. _

"My lords and ladies of Houses Targaryen and Belaerys, I am Maron Hoare, son of Halleck, First of His Name, King of the Isles and the Rivers. I've been in the Night's Watch for over twenty years, serving as the Lord Commander for six years now," the ironborn introduced himself while readjusting his raven cloak.

"What's an ironborn doing at the Wall?" Visenya questioned acidly. "Not many treasures or women you can pillage up there."

"Vis," Aerion warned her.

"No, no. It's all right. Lady Visenya's words speak many truths. It's one of the reasons why I decided for the Wall in the first place," Maron Hoare answered.

"You don't like being among your own?" Rhaenys asked, but she also showed her disdain for the ironborn.

Maron Hoare sighed. "I never wanted to a prince of House Hoare. My father lived in a modest house at Fairmarket and that's all I wanted, but my older brother had other ideas. It may not mean much to you now, but he wasn't always such a bastard. Then again, my current attempts to defend him now stems from the fact that no matter what he did or what he became, he was still my brother. And you killed him."

"Do you wish to kill us now, Lord Hoare?" Visenya narrowed her eyes. "You can certainly try to."

"Had circumstances been different, I would have fought gladly alongside my family. However, I'm a man of the Night's Watch now and I concluded that the Hoare name has no meaning anymore, particularly with my nephew acting like the mad dog he always was. He was the one that started this whole mess with his attempted invasion of your home, correct?"

Aegon nodded his head.

"That's the problem with ironborn in general. They don't think far ahead. And I'm surprised that the Gardeners allowed Darvin to join them in the first place."

"We're not interested in what you have to say about your family, Lord Hoare," Jaenyx spoke up. "You say you have important business to discuss with us. You'll do us all a favor by getting to the point."

While Aegon would have talked to Jaenyx about being so rude, this was an ironborn they were talking to, so he had nothing to protest about.

"Of course. If you're going to become king of Westeros, Lord Aegon, I must ask on what you will intend to do with the Night's Watch. I currently have ten thousand men under my command and such numbers must be maintained to sufficiently protect the continent from any wildling incursions. The North currently supplies most of the Watch's needs in terms of food and weapons, but the Watch would greatly benefit from supplies sent from south of the Neck. I would request shipments of beef, pork, barley, and other foodstuffs from the south if possible."

Aegon pondered his request. He was well aware of the purposes of the Night's Watch, which included guarding against a mythical threat associated with the Long Night, and the order was reliant on the generosity of houses and rulers in providing food, weapons, and men to man the Wall. If he was going to rule Westeros, he would have to set a precedent by supporting institutions that have lasted long before the Andals came, as that increased their family's standing amongst the population.

"Once the war is concluded, we shall see of any supplies that can be spared to Eastwatch," Aegon answered.

"Thank you, my lord," Maron Hoare nodded his thanks. "In addition, I have become aware that you hold prisoners in your cells. Did you offer them the choice to take the black?"

"Those prisoners currently serve a more practical use as labor," Rhaenys stated. "If we gave them the option to become a black brother while we're still at war, it would not only burden our resources, but it would set a bad example for our enemies should they be captured by us."

"I fully understand that," Maron Hoare nodded. "However, all I ask is that once hostilities have concluded, you give your prisoners the option to take the black. The Night's Watch would need the extra manpower to supplement our numbers at the Wall."

Aegon sighed, not exactly sure of the ironborn's commitment to his vows to the Watch, as no one had heard of an ironborn committing to any vows in general. But, he remembered that he had to set a precedent. "When the wars are done, we will give our prisoners that option."

"Thank you, my lord," Maron Hoare slightly dipped his head.

"But just one question," Jaenyx adjusted his head straighter. "You command ten thousand men at the Wall. What's to stop from marching south to help your nephew, vows be damned?"

Aegon had to admit that Jaenyx's worries were legitimate. While ten thousand men was barely a force to be concerned about, it did send a powerful message that the Hoares were sticking together, which may affect the situation in the riverlands since Darvin Hoare may be looking to regain the riverlands as its king.

"Even if I did convince a majority of my senior men to march with me, I would never make it as far as the Wolfswood," Hoare explained. "I might have ten thousand men, but many of them would not stand a chance against hardened northern or southern warriors. Plus, it would take a month to reach the Neck and the northern houses would gradually cut down any army I assemble. More importantly, I would be violating the Watch's vows to keep the realm protected from the regions north of the Wall by siding with my nephew, who I don't anything to do with, and I'll be signing my own death warrant anyway in that instance. So, you have my word that I won't march any of my swords against you."

"Hmmmm… We shall see, Lord Hoare," Jaenyx simply answered. While Aegon was inclined to accept Lord Hoare staying true to his vows to the Night's Watch, he also saw that the ironborn was acting in his own interest of self-preservation, as he understood that both of his choices would end with his death, either now or many years down the line.

They all decided to confirm the pact in public at Widow's Watch great hall on the morrow before retiring to their chambers. Upon reaching them, Aegon was the first to embrace Rhaenys, kissing her neck and then her lips as elation filled his being at the thought of being a father.

"You have no idea how happy I am, Rhae," Aegon said while buried against her neck.

"I wasn't sure, Egg, but I'm glad it was like that," Rhaenys replied happily.

Their mother, father, Visenya, and Jaenyx all joined their hug. "We're going to be grandparents?" Aegon felt their mother's tears of joy stream down on them.

"Yes, muna," Rhaenys replied.

"Listen, Rhae," their mother looked at Rhaenys straight. "I don't care if it's a boy or a girl. I just hope it's a healthy babe."

"I know it will be, muna," Rhaenys smiled while Aegon put his head against her belly.

"I think I can almost hear the babe's pulse," Aegon pressed his ear harder.

"Too early for that, Egg, but the signs are clear," Aerion pointed out.

Aegon glanced at Visenya and Jaenyx. While both were clearly happy at the thought of being an aunt and uncle, he could see that Visenya was slightly depressed at not being pregnant. They were going at it for over a year now and no pregnancy coming as a result must've been distressing for them. They didn't seem to care, but Aegon caught a glimpse of dejection in Visenya's eyes.

But before Aegon could move to hug them both to comfort them, he saw their mother and Rhaenys take a closer look at Visenya. "Your skin is glowing brighter more than usual, Vis," their mother observed.

That caught Visenya off guard. "I'm sorry?"

"Did you notice your last moon blood, Vis?" their mother pressed.

"Um, no. Muna, what's going on?"

"Vis, can you stand up straighter?" Rhaenys asked Visenya. Unsure of why she asked that, Visenya did so. Rhaenys came closer to her older sister before placing a hand on her breast and squeezing it, prompting a jolt from her.

"Rhae! What are you doing?" Visenya exclaimed.

"Her breast feel swollen, muna," Rhaenys revealed, causing both of their eyes to widen.

"Rhae, what's going on?" Visenya asked with apprehension, but Aegon could see that she already knew the answer.

"Feel this, Vis," Rhaenys took Visenya's right hand and placed it on her left breast. "Feel how swollen this is?"

Aegon could see Visenya's eyes water. "Wait, so you're saying—"

"The signs are clear, Vis," their mother grinned. "You're with child."

Visenya put her hands over her mouth, barely able to contain the joy she felt at the moment. Aegon looked to Jaenyx, who was stunned but he saw a toothy smile grow on his face before he turned to his wife.

"_You're pregnant_?" Jaenyx placed his hand on her belly.

"I guess so," Visenya shrugged while tears streamed down her face. Both exchanged laughs, which spread to the rest of the family in the chambers, before Jaenyx picked her up in his arms and spun her around, not caring how small the space was.

"_I'm going to be a kepa, I'm going to be a kepa, I'm going to be a kepa,_" Jaenyx kept repeating while reverting to his High Valyrian. After setting her down on the floor, Visenya pulled him in for a deep kiss while Aegon, Rhaenys, and their parents hugged the soon-to-be father and mother.

"I hope it's a boy, you two," Aegon hoped. "It's only right since both of you are hard people."

"I just hope that our child is healthy, Egg," Vis managed while they were buried in their combined embrace.

"_I just hope to be a good father,_" Jaenyx answered.

"You will be, Jae," Rhaenys smiled at him. "And me and Egg look forward to seeing our nephew or niece. Maybe instead of one, Vis is carrying twins?"

"Okay, now you're thinking too far ahead, Rhae," Visenya said. "Let's just… celebrate this day, because this is the day we found out that we will be parents."

Aegon sighed happily, delighted at how far his older sister came from the sulking warrioress he grew up with to the happy and content woman and soon-to-be mother. All she needed was someone that never diminished her and Jaenyx was that someone.

The family spent the next few moments in each other's warm embrace, rejoicing in the babes that would come, but a hint of worry remained in Aegon's mind, especially when he remembered what Brandon said about his family killing each other. _I shall spend the rest of my days teaching my children to never spill each other's blood_.

* * *

Aegon held onto Balerion's spines as the cool night air swept against his face. He donned his black plate armor, but chose to wield Flame Screecher for this night, as he wanted to see how well he could wield the Valyrian steel greatsword gifted to him by Jaenyx in battle. Like at Dragonstone, Balerion was flying in a circle alongside Meraxes, Vhagar, and Cloudwynd above Daemon's fleet as they were sailing back to Duskendale. Besides the twenty ships from Driftmark, there were twenty vessels from White Harbour carrying two thousand northerners mostly of House Manderly but also hailing from houses such as the Flints and the Hornwoods. They would be the first of many northerners to venture south of the Neck in centuries.

Aegon knew they had to be alert since they were passing by a particularly dangerous part of the Vale coastline, the waters around Gulltown. Although they could have traveled to Widow's Watch within a matter of days by dragonback, they needed an entourage to escort them and they were fortunate to not have encountered enemy ships on their way to the north, but their journey back may not be so uneventful. As such, the crews on both the Velaryon and Manderly ships were on alert, keeping their eyes focused on the seas around them.

However, unlike at Dragonstone, clouds filled most of the night skies and thus blocking the moonlight that helped them detect Darvin Hoare's ships. While Daemon could still use the stars to navigate their way back to Duskendale, having no moonlight meant that they couldn't properly detect any enemy ships approaching them from a distance. They also had to keep the coastline within their line of sight but not too close where those onshore could see them. No torches could be lit, as the enemy could see flames across open water for miles. Thus, they had to keep tight formation as to ensure that all made it to the Blackwater Bay.

As the ships sailed, Aegon could faintly see on dragonback the lights of Gulltown, the largest town and major port of the Vale. However, squinting his eyes, he noticed a lot of activity from how some of the torches moved. Glancing to Rhaenys, he nudged Balerion towards the town and scanned the waters below him. As the town grew closer, he strained his neck to look directly underneath Balerion, only to find dozens of ships sailing in the direction of their own. _Gods, there must be at least sixty ships heading towards Daemon, and he can't see them! _Acting quickly, he had Balerion dive down and adjusted his aim towards the right flank of the enemy fleet. _I might not be able to take them all out in one go, but I can warn Daemon of what's coming_.

As Balerion neared his target, Aegon yelled, "Dracarys!" A stream of black fire spewed out from the dragon's mouth, burning or disintegrating eight ships while many enemy crewmen screamed in agony. However, the only reason why the flames were visible was because there were hints of red among the black, and Aegon could only hope that it was enough.

Against the red flames, Aegon could spot Braavosi sails, which he knew from how they were shaped. _Oh no. Now we're really in trouble_. Braavos had a powerful navy, with captains whose skills could rival Daemon's, and there were fifteen of them. What was more disconcerting was how fast the Braavosi and Vale ships were closing the distance between them and the vessels commanded by Daemon and the Manderlys. _Even if I could take out many ships, there's not enough time and they would still outnumber Daemon. _

Remembering what they did at Dragonstone, Aegon flew back to the circle and signaled to the others of what he wanted to do. _If we can't take them all out in time, at least we can control how they move_. He directed Rhaenys to have Meraxes burn an arc on the left flank of the fleet, Visenya to cut off their escape, and Jaenyx to burn across them. Aegon thought that since this was a strategy that worked before, they should try it again.

As Meraxes burned her arc with her yellow flames, Aegon noticed something was off. He counted only ten ships in the circle that was about to be formed with dragonfire, and they didn't look like they were meant for naval combat. Turning to his right, he saw that the fleet had split up, with the fast ships diverting away from their original course and splitting further into two groups that ran parallel with each other. That's when Aegon realized what they were doing. _Shit! Those ten ships were sacrifices for their better ones to get closer to Daemon. And now, they're going to engage him on both sides. _

Seeing that he couldn't have Balerion release his fires without risking Daemon and the Manderly ships, Aegon decided that he needed to personally protect their parents and fight alongside the troops. _Balerion, get me down there_, he spoke to his dragon via his connection.

Balerion turned his head to Aegon. _Are you mad?! _

_There's no time to argue! Any more fire from you will risk cousin Daemon and they'll need someone skilled with a blade down there. I can handle myself_.

_But you never jumped off of me before. If the waters or the deck don't kill you, they will certainly mess your legs up and you'll be no good to anyone._

_Then get me lower, Balerion. I might be able to at least make it to Daemon's ship before the enemy closes in on him_.

Aegon felt Balerion's grunt, not liking what he was asking him to do. However, they've been bonded since before Aegon could hold a sword and Balerion knew that his rider would never ask him to do something as risky as jump into the water if he didn't give good reason. Overcoming his reluctance, Balerion dove down and leveled out just before plunging into the sea, with his feet skidding across the surface. Able to recognize Daemon's ship and fastening Flame Screecher tightly, Aegon let go of Balerion's spines and allowed the wind to push him off his dragon and into the water.

Crashing into the water, Aegon swam up to the surface and towards Daemon's ship. Luckily, one of the crew spotted the heir to Dragonstone quickly and threw a rope for him to grab onto. More crewmen helped Aegon up onto the deck and gave him rags to dry off before Daemon walked up to Aegon.

"Egg, why did you do that?" his cousin questioned. "You didn't have to get off of Balerion's back. We could have handled the enemy."

"You don't understand," Aegon started to say.

"No, I do understand. We're being surrounded and the only way to hold of the enemy is close combat. We might be overwhelmed, but it's better if—"

"Egg!" their mother came onto the deck. "What are you doing here?"

"Muna, the enemy is surrounding us. Please, go back to your cabin," Aegon tried to say.

"Why are you here, Egg? You're safe on Balerion."

"If I use Balerion to attack, Daemon could be hurt as well. The only way left is to fight the enemy, blade with blade," Aegon reasoned.

"Look!" Daemon pointed to the night sky. Aegon turned around and saw Vhagar and Cloudwynd descend close to the water, with Visenya and Jaenyx also sliding into the water. The crewmen pulled them out of the water, but Aegon was astounded at his sister and good-brother also joining him.

"Vis, why are you here?" their mother was more than surprised.

"If Egg is going to fight on the decks with his sword, then I shall do so also," Visenya declared. "I might be pregnant, but I am far from incapable because of it. Besides, I have my dragon coat on me, so the baby and I will be safe."

"And you, Jae? What about you?" Aegon turned to his good-brother.

"_Someone's gotta to protect your ass after that little stunt you pulled_," Jaenyx simply said.

Aegon chuckled. "I would worry about yourself and Vis, Jae. You're going to be a father, so keep yourself safe."

"I could say for the same for you, Egg," Visenya pointed out.

"All right, all right. Less chatting, more focusing on the enemy," Daemon interrupted.

Aegon had a Velaryon man escort their mother back to her cabin while charging him to keep her and their father safe. Like at Willows Wail, they would have to rely on Rhaenys to control the dragons from the air.

"Load shot!" Daemon ordered the crew as they prepared debris and flaming missiles to be released against the enemy via catapults. Meanwhile, archers and crewmen prepared themselves, with the former preparing fire-tipped arrows and the latter bringing out axes and swords.

As for Aegon, Jaenyx, and Visenya, they drew their blades and waited for the inevitable ship melee. Drawing Flame Screecher from his back, Aegon couldn't help but marvel at the design of the sword for a moment before setting the tip against the deck and holding the pommel with both hands.

The Vale and Braavosi vessels closed the distance against their own, with their enemies arranged with all of their bows pointed towards them. However, before Daemon gave the order to release their missiles upon them, the enemy turned to their starboard and they soon faced the sides of the enemy ships. Aegon eyes widened.

"Take cover!" Aegon heard Daemon yell before he, Visenya, and Jaenyx ducked as flaming arrows and catapult shot collided on the deck. Some of the crew didn't heed the warning in time and they fell onto the deck, lifeless and pierced with arrows.

"Return volley!" Daemon ordered as their archers emerged and countered the enemy's arrows while the catapults released their shots. The exchange of arrows and catapult shots lit up the dark seas around the fleets, as all of the vessels were engaged in a furious swap of flaming debris in an attempt to sink their adversaries before they sunk them.

Eventually, Daemon had all of the archers abandon volleys and allowed them to release at will. One of the catapults landed a shot on a Vale ship, which penetrated their hull. Aegon saw black fluids leak from the hole, which he surmised was tar and oil. One of the archers saw it and landed a flaming arrow into the growing black pool, which ignited the oil and had the Vale ship burst into flames. Aegon could hear the screams from that ship, which resembled that of high pitched squeals that dying pigs would release as they neared death.

But there was no time to celebrate. Aegon turned and saw a Braavosi ship closing on their port side, close enough for the enemy crew to throw ropes and climb onto their ship.

"Here they come," Daemon observed as he drew his sword.

"Aye," Aegon readied Flame Screecher. "Prepare for combat!"

Sure enough, the Braavosi ship was parallel to theirs and the enemy threw hooks onto their sides, tightening their hold on Daemon's ship. As the two ships grew closer, they saw Essosi sailors yell in anticipation for the coming onslaught. However, deciding that he had enough of waiting, Aegon took the initiative and jumped onto the ship before any Braavosi could jump on Daemon's.

Aegon landed on the deck and swung Flame Screecher around in a circle, cutting down a few sailors while forcing others back to avoid being cut. That gave Visenya, Jaenyx, and some plucky crew from Daemon's ship to jump onto the Braavosi vessel and engage the enemy sailors. Aegon swung Flame Screecher downwards, leaving a cut so deep that he could almost see the sailor's lungs and ribs as he bled out.

Aegon turned around just in time for to parry two sailors axe strikes, their axe heads attempting to hook onto Flame Screecher and pull it from his hands. However, Aegon pushed the blade against them and made them stumble backwards. Before they could recover, he swept the blade against their legs, the Valyrian steel proving its worth by seamlessly cutting their bones and slicing off them. He finished them off with a swing in the opposite direction, which cut across their chests and left a deep enough cut to sever their major blood arteries.

Aegon saw an Essosi attempting to sneak on Jaenyx, and he reacted quickly by piercing his back with Flame Screecher and pushing him away from his good-brother. Jaenyx noticed Aegon and they stood back-to-back as the ship melee continued.

"Thought you needed help," Aegon quipped.

"_Flame Screecher working well, brother_?" Jaenyx smirked.

"Only one way to find out," Aegon finished before they both re-engaged the enemy.

Both Flame Screecher and Seablaze continued to cut through the Essosi crew like a hot knife through butter. Aegon saw his good-brother parry an enemy's sword thrust with a dagger before stabbing him in the heart with his ancestral sword. He then spun around and cut a man's throat with his dagger before decapitating him. As for Aegon, he continued to swing away with Flame Screecher with all of the strength he could muster. He kicked a Braavosi in the shin, forcing his torso and face down, before Aegon sliced upward by grabbing onto the hilt and blade carefully as if it were a pole. He finished him off with a downward thrust into his back before kicking him off of his blade.

However, Aegon saw that the few men that jumped with him, Visenya, and Jaenyx were too few to take on the entire crew of the enemy ship. If they didn't get off quickly, they might be overwhelmed. Thinking fast, Aegon saw a bucket of tar and spilled it onto the deck. He pushed Visenya and Jaenyx back to Daemon's ship before grabbing a torch and lighting it. The remaining crew of the Braavosi ship was ignited when the tar caught fire and Aegon cut the ropes that held Daemon's ship to the enemy's before the fires could spread. They were able to get to a safe distance before they saw the enemy ship burst into flames completely.

Aegon looked back to the ship and saw not elation but exhaustion. Only half of Daemon's crew remained standing, with many wounded, pierced with arrows, and nursing blade cuts. They were all covered in soot and could barely keep themselves up. As for Daemon, his silver hair was peppered with ash and his purple eyes were stinging from the smoke all around them. He was relieved to see Daemon, Visenya, and Jaenyx largely unharmed, but it didn't take long for Aegon to observe what was going on around him.

Flames, both from their dragons and the burning ships, danced upon the dark seas. What remained of many ships on both sides were aflame and were slowly sinking into their watery graves. The corpses of the dead and barely living floated on the surface, all of them trying in vain to grasp one more moment of being alive before sinking into the darkness. For those unlucky to die in the water, their fleshed was cooked slowly as the fires got them. Screams could be heard, who they belonged to being irrelevant at the moment.

Aegon looked up and saw that the dragons were flying above them. But he knew too well that this was no time to celebrate. He glanced at their fleet and counted far fewer ships than they started with. He also saw that they were withdrawing quickly from the waters off of Gulltown, as the flames would attract more enemy ships to the area.

"How many?" Aegon asked.

"We lost," Daemon gulped. "Nineteen ships, both from Driftmark and from White Harbour, and I estimate about three thousand casualties. We won't know how many dead and wounded until we make port at Duskendale."

"And the enemy?" Visenya asked their cousin.

"Looks like they suffered heavy casualties also, but they used the same strategy at Riverrun. It seems they finally found a way to counter our dragons, by using the night."

Aegon sheathed Flame Screecher before straightening himself up. "How long before we can make it back to the Blackwater Bay?"

"Less than a week, Egg. If we can get past the Crackclaw Point and reach the outskirts of Claw Isle, we'll be safe."

"Do it," Aegon managed before walking slowly below deck. He ignored the damage sustained by Daemon's ships, as the masts were near snapping and the sails almost ripped beyond repair. He ignored the fact that their fleet would have to limp back to their home and show that they sustained another tactical defeat at the hands of their enemies. He had to ignore them, for it became too much for Aegon to handle at the moment.

Aegon found the chambers he used whenever he was on Daemon's ship and lied down on the bed, the exhaustion pulling him towards sleep. He couldn't find the strength to be angry and it wouldn't do anyone good anyway since Daemon and the rest did the best they could. He would have to tolerate sleeping alone for one night, as he knew that sleep would take him before Rhaenys reached him.

The one comfort he could get was the fact that he was going to be a father, and so was Jaenyx. _If only Orys was with us_… Aegon thought before he slipped into a dreamless slumber.

**A/N: Inspiration for the Battle of Gulltown was taken from the Battle of Savo Island (1942) and the Battle of the Masts (654). Even though Daemon didn't die here, the Valyrians' naval strength has been significantly damaged and their enemies finally have a working strategy to counter their dragons. I was never going to make it easy for the dragons to succeed, but all of their struggles at this moment would prepared for the major battles ahead. **

**And yay! We finally have the next generation of dragons on the way. **

**Just to clarify, Torrhen did not swear fealty, but it's a bygone conclusion and he's already contributing northmen to the war. Also, Brandon's revelation about the Targaryens' fate in canon was something I decided later on. One of the people I ask advice, osterreicher97, asked me what's the point of his abilities if he's just going to allow them to happen. And I agree. He gave the dragons just enough information to make them be careful of the future, because Brandon wants to avoid the canon fates for those that could connect with magic. The dragons can now work on making their family stay united. But will it work? **

**Next, we see the dragons finally strike back.**


	33. Jaenyx VII, Orys III

**A/N: Sorry for the delay, people! Been busy with life and other things going on. I have also been busy writing a new story, A JADE DRAGON, which is a story that assumes a previously unexplored version of a JON IN ESSOS story. My attention to that story has divided my attention and combined with my studies, writing for this chapter was delayed. **

**Plus, this is the first time I tried out a chapter that combined POVs, so I hope I did it well. Enjoy!**

JAENYX VII

Jaenyx went over the various sketches and texts that were related to Casterly Rock, or the best ones he could find. There were no surviving records of the mountain fortress from when House Casterly first settled there and anything related to the castle from when Lann the Clever took over couldn't be trusted, as there were many conflicting accounts of its design and even whether the progenitor of House Lannister ever existed. _Can't people make up their fucking mind on who was who and what was what?_

Jaenyx became familiar with the history of House Lannister thanks to Visenya. The most common version that people knew was Lann the Clever stripping himself naked and coating himself with butter, which allowed him to squeeze through an unknown gap in the wall. He then cause confusion among the sleeping Casterlys by whispering threats in their ear, causing a ruckus like a demon, switching their valuables from one room to another, and setting up traps. That supposedly caused the Casterlys to flee their castle out of a fear that it was haunted. _Well, if that tale was true, the Casterlys never deserved that castle in the first place if they allowed themselves to be so easily fooled._

Jaenyx was also familiar with another version of Lann the Clever, who used that gap in the wall to fill the castle with mice, rats, and other vermin to drive the Casterlys out. One other version had Lann smuggle inside a pride of lions, which devoured Lord Casterly and his sons. Lann then claimed the lord's wife and daughters for himself. And the most infamous account saw Lann have his way with Casterly maidens while they slept and the women gave birth to golden-haired children while insisting they were never bedded. _If I had to choose, I'd pick the one where he snuck in vermin to drive out his rivals. Lions are too big to not be noticed and there's no way that women would not know if they were bedded._

With no reliable information on Casterly Rock itself, Jaenyx switched directions and examined Lannisport, which the mountain fortress overlooked. Unlike with Casterly Rock, there were many detailed maps of the port and some of his vassals had firsthand experience from their visits to the city. But the actual city itself had no importance to Jaenyx. As it was close to Casterly Rock, there were bound to be pathways and roads that led from Lannisport to the mountain fortress. And sure enough, Jaenyx was able to find multiple avenues of entry into the castle.

As both Jaenyx and Visenya were plotting how they were going to enter Casterly Rock via Lannisport along with Chrass Rivers, who commanded a contingent of five hundred Blackwood men that remained with the main army when they retreated from Riverrun, a Darry man entered the solar. "My lords and lady," he dipped his head.

"What is it, Ser Forrest?" Chrass asked.

"Lady Argella Baratheon is outside. She wishes to speak with you."

Jaenyx, Visenya, and Chrass looked at each other with surprise. _Orys' wife is here?_

"Send her in," Visenya told the Darry knight. Soon after he left, in came the Lady Paramount of the Stormlands. She was wearing a yellow gown with red and black linings and her black hair was loose. However, there were dark circles around her fierce blue eyes and her face looked drained, pointing to her overall exhaustion incurred as a leader.

"My lords," Argella dipped her head to Jaenyx and Chrass. "My lady," she addressed Visenya.

"Please sit down," Visenya gestured to the chair in front of their table.

"I was wondering if I could speak with you and Lady Visenya in private," Argella said as she sat down.

Jaenyx turned to Chrass before writing down a message in nihongo, which Visenya also fully understood. "Chrass, please get this to Arata Haru. He'll know what to do after."

Chrass Rivers took the note and bowed his head before leaving the room. "My lord, my lady."

Visenya turned to Argella. "What do you wish to discuss with us, Lady Argella?"

"I heard from Lord Aegon that the both of you are plotting to rescue my lord husband."

Jaenyx nodded. "Yes. Orys is one of our best commanders and the Lord Paramount of the Stormlands. The longer we allow him to remain in captivity, the more likely the stormlords do not remain on our side and might switch their allegiances."

"Very perceptive of you, Lord Jaenyx," Argella replied. "Lord Dondarrion and Ser Bruze have been both a great help in keeping them in line in my husband's absence. However, the problems that I faced when I was still my father's heir have returned. No matter what my husband did and however he accomplished them, he proved himself a worthy leader over the stormlords. While we were able to hold the line at the Slayne, Cape Wrath, and the woods near the Blackwater Bay, there have been reports of… misconduct on part of our enemies."

"Such as?" Visenya cocked her head in curiosity.

"Well… septons and members of the Faith Militant accompanied the armies of Prince Edmund Gardener and they've embarked on a rampage throughout the lands under their control. While all people of importance in my father's former kingdom are safely at Storm's End or in the mountains around it, many knights and smallfolk were not able to make it to safety. I heard that the septons began to subject those unfortunate to have remained to punishments 'befitting those of sinners.' I probably don't have to tell you what that means."

Jaenyx merely stared at Argella before he bobbed his head. "I've heard similar reports from the riverlands besides Seagard and Raventree Hall. From what I recall, a common punishment for so-called apostates is having their heads shaven, their clothes ripped from their bodies, and doing a 'walk of atonement.' Is that correct?"

"Yes, my lord," Argella confirmed.

Jaenyx scoffed. "As if we have enough reasons to hate the Faith right now."

"Why exactly are you here, my lady?" Visenya asked.

"I need my husband back, Lady Visenya," Argella admitted. "It's harder to deal with the stormlords without him and I don't know if I can placate them for long, now that I had many of them abandon their keeps."

"Those weren't your orders, my lady, and you displayed sound sense in military matters. The stormlords are in good hands."

"Yes, but they need their lord paramount back. Otherwise, who's left to pick up my father's legacy?"

Visenya sighed, proud that Orys used his time well in the stormlands but seeing the sense behind Argella's words. However, she could see that there was more to it.

"Any other reasons why you would want him back?" Visenya was curious.

Argella hesitated before nodding. "He's a better husband than I could ask for. He could've taken me on our wedding night, but he didn't because he respected me enough. And he could've easily boasted about killing my father in my face, but he chose to honor his memory and adopted my house's sigil and words as his own while adding his own additions to them."

Jaenyx had to be impressed with Orys' astuteness, as adopting the stag while adding dragon wings represented a coup amongst the stormlords.

"So what exactly do you want from us?" Jaenyx asked.

"Please, get him back alive. I don't think I can find a better man than your brother, Lady Visenya. And Lord Jaenyx, can you really afford to lose the stormlords?"

Jaenyx turned to Visenya, whose expression momentarily softened before it hardened again. "Are you asking that because you truly have affections for my brother, or is it because he's the best man by your side? There is a difference."

"I know I can't give you more than my word, other than the fact that I have maintained his hold of Storm's End in his absence and if Jaenyx can confirm, I've never done anything to suggest usurpation."

Jaenyx nodded out of affirmation. "She's telling the truth."

"And I am willing to hand control back to my husband. Is that not proof enough of my devotion to him?"

Visenya leaned forward and placed her hand on Argella's. "We'll get him back, my lady. We promise."

Argella smiled. "Kirimvose."

Jaenyx raised an eyebrow. "You know some High Valyrian?"

"Contrary to what the rest of Westeros thinks, I do hold those of old Valyria in high regard. And I am more than willing to accommodate for my good-family's origins."

Jaenyx offered a small grin. "That's good to hear. Now, I'm sorry, but I must ask you to take your leave. My wife and I have more to discuss regarding the rescue of Lord Orys." Argella nodded before she left the room.

"_While we cannot know the full extent of Casterly Rock, there are several avenues of approach towards it. After we gain entry, it's a matter of being careful and not raising alarm while we get Orys out._"

"_Before we do that, Jae, we have to discuss what we saw at Gulltown._"

"_You mean the Braavosi ships?_"

"_It's clear that the Iron Bank is helping our enemies. Whatever reasons they have, we cannot let that go unanswered._"

"_We can't, but at the moment, we can do nothing_."

Visenya was dumbstruck. "_Why not?_"

Jaenyx looked at her straight in her eyes. "_There's no proof that they were officially sanctioned by the Iron Bank. Yes, there were Braavosi ships and yes, we fought against Braavosi sailors. However, we try to make them answer for that, they can simply deny that they sent them in the first place and claim that they were sellswords, hired by a third party to fight on behalf of the Starry Sept."_

"That'll be bullshit, Jae," Visenya pointed out.

"_Yes, but remember, we didn't destroy the Brackens' keep and burned their lands despite that letter until after they defected. We would need more concrete proof of their treachery before we can make them answer for it. Suppositions are not grounds for something as drastic as retaliation against the Iron Bank."_

"So, we wait until the war is over?"

"That'll be the wisest course of action," Jaenyx switched to the common tongue. "Our focus right now is to rescue Lord Orys. After that, it's defeating the Faith. Once that's done, we will deal with any external issues."

Visenya stepped closer to Jaenyx. "What do you feel about Orys now?"

"Apart from the practical considerations of getting him back, I know you care for him very much. And I would not be keeping my promise that I made to your father to treat all of you with love and respect if I don't help rescue him."

"But besides that promise, what do you feel about him?"

Jaenyx pursed his lips. "There are many things that I should not have presumed with Orys and all of you are my family. This is my chance to set things right with him. I mean, he's going to have to talk to me about some things also, but I am taking the first step."

Visenya smiled before kissing him deeply. "I'm glad you see it that way, Jae."

Jaenyx grinned back. "Now, let's get back to planning the rescue."

The next day, Jaenyx, Visenya, Arata, and a few other Haru men rode onto Cloudwynd and Vhagar and flew above the riverlands and towards the waters west of Casterly Rock. Jaenyx looked upon the massive fortress of the Lannisters and he could see that the texts had woefully fallen short of capturing its characteristics. He saw that the cliffs were utterly massive, and the height of the Rock surpassed the Hightower of Oldtown many times over. The cliff had a natural cavern in it about two hundred feet high and big enough for ships to enter. The castle had its own port and there were quarters, granaries and storage facilities built down inside the actual Rock, the size of the structure extending far below the actual castle. It was a city carved into the mountain.

Looking towards the distance, Jaenyx could see the port city of Lannisport. A city of a quarter of a million, it could boast about having one of the best natural harbors on the Sunset Sea and was indeed a major destination for ships from all over the known world, even though it was more remote than many other ports throughout Westeros. The great wealth of the city attracted merchants selling all types of goods, including those that sold the Valyrian steel swords. The harbor had been improved over the centuries to include a large lighthouse and stone piers. Jaenyx could also see a part of the Lannister fleet as well as many merchant ships of all sizes docked or anchored in the harbor.

Jaenyx could also see the Great Sept of Lannisport atop a hill in the southeastern part of the city. The large dome was very prominent in the city's skyline. He read that the interior was opulently decorated and had a vividly colored painted ceiling and painted statues of the Seven. Several smaller septs were seen throughout the city, many for the middle class and poorer citizens of Lannisport, since the Great Sept of Lannisport was likely frequented only by the upper class and nobles. _Well, one thing that Westeros and old Valyria shared in common. Dragonlords went to temples only fit for them while the other families went to more humble temples. _

However, their goal ultimately was not approaching Casterly Rock via Lannisport. Jaenyx felt that it would have caused too many complications and that their Valyrian features would easily make them targets to the city's population. He took Visenya's suggestion in having the dragons fly low above the water close to the castle and they could swim towards the cliff face, but they would have to do it at night.

As Cloudwynd and Vhagar glided low above the Sunset Sea, Jaenyx gave the signal. They all let go of the dragons' spines and plunged into the water. Jaenyx swam hard against the high waves and currents of the sea, and anyone's anxiety could increase when the night resulted in the darkness of the ocean. Fortunately, he, Arata and the Haru men, and Visenya were hardened warriors and their minds could tolerate swimming in black waters.

The group swam closer to the mountain and as they did, Jaenyx saw a small cavern opening to his slight left. Increasing his pace, he motioned the others to follow and they found themselves inside the cavern soon enough. Thankfully, there were no torches or walkways, meaning that none of the Lannister garrison knew about this.

As they dried themselves and their weapons, Jaenyx moved around the cavern, which was dimly lit by the moonlight, and came upon an opening in the wall. Through it, he saw torchlight and the faint sound of men talking. Assessing the opening, he judged that it was wide enough for only one person at a time.

"_All right, I think I found an opening_," Jaenyx moved back to the group, all of whom were dressed in black cloaks and ready. "_But, it can only fit one person at a time. That means we have to move quick so that all of us can make it to the other side. Who wants to go first?"_

"_I will_," Arata said in High Valyrian. "_I'm the quickest and we need to be fast, as you said._"

Jaenyx clasped his shoulder. "Ki o tsukete (be careful)." Arata and a few Haru men squeezed themselves into the opening, which took much longer than he anticipated, before Arata peeked back through and gave the rest the go ahead. Soon, Jaenyx and Visenya were in a dimly lit corridor.

"All right, we're in. Now, we have to find where the dungeons are and the best way to deploy the ropes," Visenya said.

The shinobi developed a system to extract their members from hostile castles, which relied on ropes shot by special crossbow bolts. Once the ropes were set and the bolts secured in the ground, the shinobi would use special hooks to slide down the ropes and towards their escape point. There was a small forest north of Casterly Rock that provided cover for their escape and for their dragons to land.

But before they could proceed further, they heard men approaching them while talking with each other. As there was no place to hide, Jaenyx and the rest prepared. Sure enough, there were two Lannister guards walking down the corridor towards them and stopped in their tracks when they saw the black-clothed group. Before they could react, Arata threw a knife at one's throat while Jaenyx and Visenya charged the other, disarmed him, and pushed against the rocky side. Visenya put her hand over the guard's mouth.

"Do not make a sound, and we might let you live. Do exactly that, we will stick you like a pig. Understand?" Jaenyx warned him. After he nodded, Visenya put her hand off of his mouth while pressing a dagger against his throat.

"Where are the dungeons?" Jaenyx asked.

The guard gulped. "Sixth level."

"Any way we can access them without alarming your friends?" The guard hesitated. "You better be truthful because if you're not, we'll kill you right now."

"There's a stairway at the end of this corridor, but it's only used by the maester of this castle of the castellan Ser Bailen Reyne. You won't be discovered there."

"Are there any windows near the dungeons?"

The guard was confused as to why Jaenyx wanted to know that. "Yes. The sixth level has a large opening that faces northwards. It's to allow the air to circulate in the cells."

_Perfect_. "Do you know the cell where Lord Orys Baratheon is?"

"No, no. I don't know where he is. I swear to the old gods and the new, that's all I know," the guard begged.

Jaenyx nodded. "Thank you for your cooperation. I hope that you meet your gods soon enough."

"What—" but before the Lannister guard could say more, Visenya cut his throat and he fell down bleeding.

"_Let's move,"_ Jaenyx ordered them as they went towards and up the private stairway. Thankfully, they didn't encounter either the maester or the castellan as they made it to the sixth level.

"Ropu o youi shi ro (you four, get the ropes set up)," Jaenyx said to part of the group while the others pressed further into the dungeons. Arata continued to throw his knives at unsuspecting guards while Jaenyx and Visenya finished off the rest with quick slices with Seablaze and Dark Sister.

"Where is Orys Baratheon?" Jaenyx asked the dungeon keeper as he pressed his dagger against his throat.

"Third cell, and this is the key," the dungeon keeper held out a large key. Jaenyx snatched it from his hand before cutthing his throat anyway.

"_Got the key. Let's get him and get out_," Jaenyx said to Visenya. They approached the third cell, placed the key in, and opened the door.

* * *

ORYS III

Orys slipped in and out of consciousness, as he remained chained to his chair. The last time he remembered anything vividly was when Loren Lannister's kennelmaster took out a knife and started to cut across his chest and back, not deep enough to touch major blood vessels but enough for blood to ooze out of them and for pain to be inflicted.

Orys gritted his teeth as each cut was made on his body, made more difficult to do when the kennelmaster pushed handfuls of salt on his wounds after the knife made its mark.

"Why don't you scream, my lord?" the kennelmaster asked him with a sick smile. "There is no shame in a beast making evident its pain, or you could end it all by simply signing the annulment documents and renouncing your claim to Storm's-" But before he could finish, Orys spat in his face, thus earning another cut and salt.

"Maybe you're confusing with someone else," Orys managed. "And I know that there is only one way that a beast dies: with my hands around your neck."

"Threats will not do you any good, my lord."

"Oh, it's not a threat. It's a promise," Orys answered. "Just like the promise I'll make next. My family will come get me, and after I recover, I will take great pleasure in smashing all of your skulls to dust. But hopefully, that can happen before the dragons burn you first, which would be a fate worse than death."

"I wouldn't dream of rescue, Lord Orys," the kennelmaster scoffed. "No army, let alone no man, as ever managed to get into this castle and out alive. Not since Lann the Clever. And I'm pretty sure that they wouldn't risk killing you with their dragons."

"You really don't get it, do you? My family have accomplished things that your king could never dream of doing. And you can be sure that they will find a way into this place. Especially my good-brother, Jaenyx Belaerys."

"Ah, the Blue Dragon," the kennelmaster recognized. "I've heard tell about him, especially from Edmyn Tully. He called him a bigot and a stubborn fool, insulting those he considers beneath him."

"Edmyn Tully's the fool," Orys spat back. "He's just upset that his friend got the favor instead of him, and you can count on House Tully not living to see another year on this earth."

"Maybe so, but let's get back to the topic on hand. Just sign the fucking papers and you shall go free."

Orys knew it was a lie. The moment he signed the annulment forms, he would be killed. "Go fuck yourself."

The kennelmaster nodded. "I was actually waiting for you to say that, because I have something else planned for you." He walked behind Orys and he could hear metal scraping across the floor, but it felt… warmer. "We can do this all day, all night, or onto the next day if necessary. Your choice," were the last words he heard before he placed a red-hot blade onto Orys' chest, finally prompting a scream from Orys. "See, no shame," the kennelmaster chuckled while Orys screamed loudly in his face.

The kennelmaster continued to brand Orys all over his torso before he slipped into the blackness. He couldn't tell how much time had passed or what else the kennelmaster did to him. But given that he was enjoying some peace in his tiny cell, he could only think of the memories he had shared with his family before all of this happened.

Orys remembered the first time Aegon approached Balerion, the biggest dragon he had ever seen, and he remembered being afraid for his brother. The dragon's jaws were much taller than Aegon and even while he stroked his snout, Orys was still nervous. It was until Balerion bent his neck and Aegon began riding him through the sky that Orys felt at ease.

Orys thought back to when Visenya first bested him. She was three and ten and holding a training sword before she got Dark Sister. She was stumbling and her arms struggled under the force that Aegon and himself could muster, but after Quenton Qoherys pulled her aside and taught her a few tricks, Visenya kicked him in in the shin and pushed the pommel of her training sword against his chest, knocking him down.

Orys took himself back to when Rhaenys celebrated his twentieth name day with him. It was a great day and their father went out of his way to make it a memorable one for his son. While Orys was going back to his chambers, Rhaenys, who was only eight at the time, took him to the cliffs near the castle and together, they watched the clear night sky with all of its constellations. It was probably the best night Orys had before the winter set it.

Orys recalled when Jaenyx first arrived at Dragonstone. He didn't know what to think of the last scion of House Belaerys, but as he spent more time with them, he began to see that he was the man best suited to make Visenya happy and confident as a woman. Their argument from six moons ago showed that they were right and wrong about each other in many ways, but Orys regretted saying those things about his family. Fortunately, Jaenyx was not as stubborn as he thought and him not dwelling on their heated exchange spoke something about his character.

Lastly, Orys thought about Argella. He hated having to kill someone like Argilac, who despite his insults to him personally fought with honor and died like a warrior. Besides his sisters, the last Durrandon was easily the most beautiful woman Orys had laid eyes on. Her flowing black hair and fierce blue eyes, colored like the sea of Shipbreaker's Bay, were the features that most stood out to him. While most men would have lusted over her graceful form, Orys found that there was more to her than her looks. She knew military matters, how to deal with recalcitrant lords, and was very kind to her household. The memory of killing her father was a wound that would never completely heal, but Orys wanted to make his union with Argella a loving one and that was part of the reason why he didn't bed her. Apparently, his efforts including the adoption of a new sigil that paid homage to House Durrandon and his Valyrian origins paid off and his only regret was that he might not see her again. _Father wanted me to find love and I might live to see it happen_.

Orys' hazed vision fell onto his left hand, or what remained of it. He had only three fingers left and the only comfort that he could draw was that Loren Lannister didn't get his good hand. _If he got that, it would've been more than what I could bear._ His father told him that he had a good mind, but Orys knew that he paled when compared to Aegon, Rhaenys, Visenya, or Jaenyx. The only thing that he could was fight and that was largely the reason behind why the stormlords followed him even after he killed their king. To them, he had inherited King Argilac's legacy by personally fighting with his troops and was a demon with his Valyrian steel war hammer, which he had named Thunderfist. He might not have ridden a dragon like his siblings, but to the stormlords, his prowess told them that he didn't need to. And now… his only worry was how his lady wife was doing in his absence. _I hope that she's safe from whatever machinations they have in motion_.

Orys wasn't used to brooding, but being stuck to that cursed chair and in that dank cell prevented him from taking any other recourse. Thinking too much… was harmful to even the strongest of minds, as Orys saw from their father, who would have entered an early grave had it not been for those rings. That was also why he decided to become a man of action, as he didn't want his insides to rot from the stagnation that brooding caused.

Before Orys continued to stew on his current predicament, he heard the cell door open and expected either the kennel master or Loren Lannister to continue their "conversations" with him. But to his surprise and joy, he saw nine figures that were all dressed in black and armed with swords and daggers. The joy came when he recognized Dark Sister on one of them.

"Vis?" Orys called out. The figure carrying Dark Sister pulled off her black hood, revealing that she was indeed his sister. "My gods. It is you," Orys felt tears roll down his cheek, elated that she was here to rescue him.

"You thought that we were going to leave you behind, Orys?" Visenya took out some keys and unlocked his chains. Meanwhile, two of the black-clothed figures, whom Orys recognized as men belonging to Konno Haru, helped him and put his arms over their shoulders.

"Vis, I don't know how to thank you-" Orys said before he heard one of the figures, who was carrying that he recognized as Seablaze, interrupt him.

"_Leave your thanks for when we get out, Orys_," Jaenyx spoke while still covered in his black hood. "_We're not out of danger yet_."

"You came to rescue me?" Orys was shocked that he would do such a thing, considering what had happened between them.

"_You're family, Orys, and Vis loves you very much. I would be offending my wife if I didn't help get you out of this place_."

Orys didn't know if he should be happy that Jaenyx was willing to go so far for his family, or that he loved Visenya enough to help rescue him. In either case, Orys wasn't going to delay them any further. "How are we getting out of here?"

"We got that covered, Orys," Visenya whispered to him as they all moved out of the cell and into the dimly lit corridors. "The dungeons are located in the middle of Casterly Rock, too high up for us to jump safely but low enough for us to set up ropes towards a safe point north of the castle."

"And from there," Jaenyx continued. "We ride on our dragons back to the Blackwater Bay."

"Um, how are we supposed to go north on these ropes?" Orys was a little concerned, which Visenya detected.

"The ropes are angled to allow all of us to get to a safe distance away from Casterly Rock, but to do that, we have use hooks and slide along the ropes on a downward angle to where the dragons will be waiting. They're flying above us until we call for them."

Orys gulped, not liking the prospect of sliding down ropes. However, he knew that they didn't have much of a choice at that point. They didn't need to get out of here.

But before they left, Orys had to get something. "Wait, my war hammer."

"_What about it?_" Jaenyx asked.

"I need to get it."

Jaenyx shook his head. "_No time. We have to get out of here. I'll have Aevor make you a new one._"

"It's not that simple, Jaenyx," Orys emphasized.

Jaenyx sighed. "There's no time to argue. The longer we wait in this castle, the more likely we'll be discovered. We cannot delay."

"Hold on, Jae," Visenya stopped him. "Where do you think it will be? The armory?"

"Could be," Orys nodded. "Can you please check?"

"_My gods_," Jaenyx shook his head. "_We don't have time for this, Orys. You're risking our lives over a thing that easily be replaced with our resources_."

"Not just a thing, Jae," Visenya replied. "You think Blackfyre and Dark Sister could easily be replaced? It's not about the weapon. It's about the meaning behind it and the stormlords saw him fight with his war hammer. If they saw him fighting with a different one, the image that they would have might not be beneficial to his hold on Storm's End. After all, part of the reason why Argella bent the knee and agreed to marry Orys was that we returned her father's son."

Jaenyx exhaled before nodding. "Do you what you can, Vis. I'll have Arata go with you. But be at the ropes quickly."

Visenya nodded and kissed him through his black hood. "Will do," she said before she and Arata ran down a corridor while Jaenyx, Orys, and others went down another.

Eventually, they made it to a room where there were windows situated to the north and with ropes already fastened. But Orys could see that they were extended all the way downwards towards what he assumed was their escape point, where the dragons would pick them up and fly them out of there.

"_I know you're a little weak right now, Orys_," Jaenyx said while holding up a hook. "_But you have to hold on to this and the rope tying you to it for just a moment. And it'll end quicker than you think, so keep legs folded they're near the ground. Once they're close, starting moving legs as if you're running to ensure a smooth landing. After everyone gets off the ropes, we'll call Cloudwynd and Vhagar and we'll go home. All right?"_

Orys wanted to ask more on how he and the Haru men were able to come up with such a simple yet elegant escape system, but he knew that it would have to wait. "Yes," Orys nodded.

"Good. Stay here. I'll go check for Vis and Arata," before Jaenyx went to check the corridors.

Orys couldn't believe that this would soon be over, that his short but painful time in captivity was going to end. He looked forward to the moment when he would be healed enough to fight back against their enemies, and he would savor the moment he crushed Loren Lannister's skull with Thunderfist.

However, Orys heard Jaenyx shout. "_Move! Move!_" Orys peeked into the corridor, to see Jaenyx, Visenya, and Arata running back towards them. Chasing them were at least a dozen Lannister guards armed with swords and axes. While they could easily take them on especially in a enclosed space, they were grievously by the Lannister garrison and they had to move quickly.

But before all were able to make it back, Orys saw Arata get pierced in the back with several crossbow bolts. Jaenyx turned around and saw him go down, alive but bleeding profusely from them. "ARATA!" he yelled as he ran back and dragged him back to the room. Visenya helped him as the others bolted the door behind them. Orys knew that the door would not buy them valuable time.

Orys watched closely as Jaenyx and Visenya tended to Arata, but he never saw Jaenyx looked so frightened and so worried before as he pulled the crossbow bolts out and tried to reassure him in his Yi-Tish tongue. Gone was the Jaenyx who led men into sneak attacks and conducted ruthless interrogation on their enemies, replaced with one desperate to save his close friend.

Orys didn't know what Jaenyx and Visenya were saying with Arata, but he knew when a man was dying, and the crossbow bolts must've hit Arata in his vital areas. From what he had seen, Arata was the kinder of the Harus, as he jested with Rhaenys and treated her much better than his father. But from what little he could understand of his tongue, he made out, "Tell… father… died… honor." He could see Jaenyx shake his head in denial and Visenya could feel his pain, but with the door close to breaking down, they were running out of time fast.

Jaenyx unsheathed Arata's swords and tied them to his hands before helping him up. He and Visenya gave Arata one last hug before they tied themselves to the rope that would take the rest to freedom.

"Jaenyx, what's going on? Why is he not tying himself?" Orys asked as he was tied to the rope with a hook.

"Arata's a dead man either way," Visenya spoke for him, even though he could feel her pain. "He wants to die fighting the enemy and he'll buy us enough time to escape."

"You're going to leave him like this?" Orys was shocked.

"It's his choice, Orys," Visenya replied. "We'll avenge him."

Before Orys could protest at someone close to Visenya and Jaenyx dying for him, he was pushed out of the window and felt a strong gush of air push against his face as he slid rapidly on a downward angle. He looked behind and saw the great mountain that was Casterly Rock become smaller as he slid further from it. Looking forward, he saw that they were coming upon a grouping of trees and that the rope was just ahead of the tree line. Remembering Jaenyx's instructions, Orys moved his legs as if he was running and that smoothened his landing.

Orys turned around and saw Jaenyx, Visenya, and the rest follow, with the last ones having to stumble once the ropes fell to the ground, indicating that the Lannister guards cut them. Orys collapsed on the dirt, still weak from his ordeal and overwhelmed with guilt that one of the people Jaenyx was close to had died for him. Before he could think some more, two Haru men picked up by his arms and shoved into the forest.

"You… better worth it," one of the Haru men told him, and Orys could detect a hint of anguish in his voice. At the moment, Orys felt resolve surge through his weakened form and he made a promise. _Our enemies will pay for this_.

They came to a clearing in the trees before looking up and seeing Vhagar and Cloudwynd emerge from the sky and onto the ground. Jaenyx mounted his dragon along with five men while Visenya guided Orys and the rest towards hers. Orys held onto Visenya tightly as Vhagar jumped into the air and climbed.

As Casterly Rock grew smaller and they were moving towards the Blackwater Bay, Orys could make out Visenya crying despite the strong airs brushing past them.

"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry," Orys kept repeating as he buried his head in Visenya's hair.

"Not your fault," Visenya simply replied, but Orys knew that she was in too much grief to say more. Besides Jaenyx, she was closest one to the Harus out of them and he could only imagine how Konno Haru will react once he knows that his son is dead.

**A/N: Part of the rescue mission took inspiration from the Gran Sasso Raid (the Nazi operation that rescued Mussolini from imprisonment and one of their last major successes) and from films such as FORCE 10 FROM NAVERONE. As I said, writing this was a bit difficult due to external circumstances and the publication of my new story, so I hope this is enough. Plus, the ropes are essentially a medieval version of the zipline.  
**

**And... we have the death of our first major character: Arata Haru, the kind son of Konno Haru. I didn't actually plan for him to die, but I felt that his death would be more impactful given how he interacted with Rhaenys. And now... Konno will not be held back now that the Lannisters killed his son. In addition, the stakes are now at an all-time high, with a Haru dead and Orys severely injured. **

**Next, we see the major counteroffensive against the Faith unfold.**


	34. Brandon II

**A/N: This was a bit difficult to write, with exams going on. So, I might be taking more time with this and my other story. But don't worry, I will continue updating. **

**Here is the next Northern POV!  
**

BRANDON II

"Our scouts have reported probably fifteen thousand Valemen around Seagard, with five thousand more spread along the northern banks of the Green Fork," Joseth Glover outlined on the map before Torrhen and the northern lords. "Mostly heavy infantry and dismounted knights equipped with battering rams, trebuchets, and siege towers. They've surrounded Seagard on three sides except for their approach on the sea, but that's been cut off with the forty ironborn ships anchored near their keep."

"The Mallisters are outnumbered on the sea, as their small fleet of ten ships is not enough to force a breakthrough," Warrick Manderly pointed out. "Estimates have the Seagard garrison having enough rations for nine moons, but that's mostly for the regular garrison. With the smallfolk taking shelter there and the additional Mallister men supplementing the garrison, their rations would be consumed at a faster rate."

"It's imperative that Seagard and House Mallister be relieved," Larence Karstark stated. "As the only major house in the riverlands that remained loyal to the Valyrians besides the Blackwoods, the siege of Seagard must end and Mallister men resume fighting in the field."

Brandon observed the map outlining the northern banks of the Green Fork. Forty thousand northmen crossed the Neck, after which they faced their first obstacle at the Twins. However, the Freys refused to do open battle, with some choosing to withdraw behind their walls and while others retreated to their Valemen allies further south at Seagard. Not wanting to preoccupy the army, Torrhen had six thousand and five hundred troops, men from House Locke, Skagos, and the northern mountain clans, to lay siege while placing his steward, Ondrew of House Poole, in overall command. The rest of the army duly bypassed the Twins and their scouts soon came within sight of the Vale encampment.

"We also have to relieve the pressure off the Valyrians in the riverlands and the Blackwater Bay," Bethany Mormont glided her fingers over the map. "While they were able to get a force of Manderly and Hornwood men to Duskendale, their fleet is crippled and thus exposing their approach by sea. They're barely holding on as it is."

"What about their dragons?" Marlon Umber asked. "If they are as powerful as people are saying, why can't they just fly them into the air and simply burn the Lannisters and the Valemen in the riverlands?"

"They can burn them, yes," Brandon joined in. "But will that secure any gains that we must attain? By now, all of Westeros knows about Westeros and Loren Lannister has a strategy that proved to work against them. The moment the dragons make an appearance, the armies of the Faith would simply scatter and thus minimizing their losses. We need to force them to group together for maximum damage if we're going to use dragons, but as Lady Mormont pointed out, we need to relieve the pressure off of the Valyrians."

"If we can relieve Seagard, then we can begin the process of rolling back the Faith from the riverlands," Ethan Reed spoke. "Once Seagard is secured, it won't take long for the Twins to fall and the Blue and Green Forks to be open. From there, we can link up with the Valyrian forces along those two rivers while we move to accomplish the important objective, relieving Raventree Hall."

The northern lords and ladies nodded their heads. As the only house south of the Neck to openly remain devoted to the Old Gods, there was a certain sense of kinship that the northmen held for the Blackwoods despite the Starks banishing them from the wolfswood thousands of years ago. Their conflicts with the Brackens were legendary even in the north and many relished the opportunity to strike back at the turncoats.

"I hear Lord Colren's bastard son, Chrass Rivers, was able to remain with the Valyrians and keep fighting on behalf of his house," Dorren Manderly said. "Once Raventree Hall is relieved, it'll only be a matter of time before the Riverlands are cleared of all enemy presence and we can move to consolidate our positions."

"You speak truly, Lord Manderly," Torrhen replied. "But we also have to be cautious about this. While we still outnumber the Valemen besieging Seagard, the knights of the Vale have a particularly fearsome reputation and I fear the results of what might happen if we were to fight against men equipped with plate armor."

"You should not worry about that, Your Grace," Marlon Umber assured the King in the North with his usual boisterousness. "One of us, especially one from House Umber, is worth five times as much as one of those fucking southerners."

The northern lords chuckled with amusement. However, Torrhen was not in the mood for such levity.

"I would not be so confident in our chances, Lord Umber," Torrhen replied. "While our army is enough to offset the balance in the riverlands at the moment, we must conserve our strength for the battles after the riverlands are secure. It's not just turncoat riverlords, the Lannisters, and the Vale we're facing. The Reach commands seventy thousand men, forty thousand of which are currently engaged in the former Storm kingdom and the Lady Paramount Argella Durrandon Baratheon only just managing to hold them off."

"For men, and women of the North," Marlon Umber gestured to Lyanara Mormont, who once beat him in a melee and thus earning the lasting respect of the Lord of Last Hearth. "The only odds that would seem fair are when one of us faces five or six summer knights each. The Reachmen never knew a harsh winter and they would falter when they fight against true warriors." The northern lords and ladies yelled their approval of Umber's words.

"That might be true, Lord Umber," Torrhen answered. "But combined with the Lannister gold, the harvests of the Reach can certainly allow the Faith to sustain armies much longer than we can. We have to prevent the Faith from utilizing its full might against us while we must endeavor to minimize any losses we sustain. And the first step towards accomplishing that goal is to smash the Valemen at Seagard. As Lord Manderly pointed out, once Seagard is relieved, the Twins would fall and the Blue and Green Forks would be open, dramatically improving our allies' position. Any suggestions on what approach we can take to defeat the Valemen encampment?"

The northern lords and ladies studied the map carefully, looking for certain details that could be used to defeat their adversaries in the most efficient manner possible that would cause the most damage.

"Your Grace," Rogar Bolton spoke up, getting everyone's attention. "What if we were to divide our armies?"

"What do you mean, Lord Rogar?" Torrhen narrowed his eyes. Brandon was also alert to the Lord of the Dreadfort's suggestions.

"South of Seagard are the forests surrounding Oldstones," Rogar pointed on the map. "It runs from the headwaters of the Blue Fork to the outskirts of the castle. We could send a sizable but mobile force to move through this forest to approach the enemy from behind. Meanwhile, our main force would approach them from the north and west, directly within their line of sight. Once they are distracted and engaged with our main force, the force sent through the forest would emerge from the tree line and conduct a charge onto the enemy's camp and rear. That would maximize the damage on the Valemen."

Brandon, in all honesty, had to admit that Rogar Bolton's plan was tactically sound. Assuming that they would take great pains in concealing the force that would move through the forests around Oldstones, they could strike at the Valemen in a pincer movement. Once that was accomplished, it was only a matter of when in regards to the enemy collapsing.

But… Brandon thought, _who would lead this force?_

"That's a sound plan, Lord Rogar," Lord Cerwyn noted. "But, who do you suggest would lead and comprise this force that would move through the forest?"

"I propose that my troops and some cavalry be used for the attack from the forest," Rogar Bolton proposed. "The Valemen would not expect our pikes to stab them from behind and with the combined weight from the frontal attack, they would be crushed like how a direwolf crushes bone."

Brandon had to stifle a groan. While it was a good plan, he could see clearly that the Lord of the Dreadfort was trying to save his troops from suffering casualties that the frontal attack was sure to sustain and by attacking from behind, he can kill as many enemies as he could without much risk to his own men.

Rogar Bolton knew how to play the long game, with the goal being House Bolton turning into a force that could one day seriously challenge the Starks. He couldn't hope to successfully query with the Starks, as the North was incredibly loyal to Torrhen and Jocelyn, partly due to their relation with the famed ladies of Bear Island and the deadly crannogmen, with any adversaries dismissing their potential at their own peril. But here was a chance to weaken his overlord even just a little bit, as Rogar Bolton could chip away at his rivals' strength while his own could be maintained. _Best be careful, Lord Bolton_.

Unfortunately for Lord Bolton, Torrhen and some of the northern lords and ladies saw his intentions very quickly. While some remained quiet about it, a few voiced their disapproval for Bolton's suggestions.

"I see what you're doing, Bolton!" Lord Umber bellowed. "You would have us sacrifice as much of our strength as possible while you can take much of the credit and suffer as little casualties as possible. I will not consent to this plan if Bolton was to attack from behind and refuses to fight alongside us like a true northman."

"I'm sure you know of my family's history, Lord Umber," Lord Bolton replied calmly.

"Every northern lord and lady present is aware of the flailing days of your house, Lord Bolton," Larence Karstark replied.

"Then, you would know that our history makes us suited to execute such attacks on our enemies."

"But do you suggest our king to lead the frontal attack on the Valemen?" Joseth Glover asked. Rogar Bolton was silent, but that was enough.

"Then, I must officially reject Lord Bolton's suggestions," Warrick Manderly declared. "You must stand besides us in our attack against the Valemen at Seagard."

While Brandon knew that Rogar Bolton had made a plan where he would not suffer many casualties to his own levies, it was still a good plan nonetheless. "How about… another force besides men of Lord Bolton leads the forest attack?"

"In lieu of the Bolton men, who do you suggest you take their place?" Lord Dustin asked.

"The men of Houses Reed, Ryswell, Dustin, and half of the cavalry and infantry directly sworn to House Stark," Brandon replied. "I myself shall accompany this force with my direwolf."

"Accompany? Do you mean to say that you will not lead the attack from the tree line?" Lord Bolton inquired, puzzled.

"I do. I suggest my brother, King Torrhen, lead the attack from the tree line."

"Nonsense! The King in the North must fight alongside his bannermen, Lord Snow," Larence Karstark argued.

"Are the Reeds, Ryswells, and Dustins not bannermen sworn to House Stark?" Brandon asked.

"What Lord Larence meant to say was," Lord Flint joined in. "King Torrhen must be seen attacking with the troops and leading the frontal attack is the best way to do it. It certainly would not do the men much good if they can't see their king when the battle commences."

"And they will see him," Brandon replied. "But in a way that would also cause maximum damage to the enemy. As you all already understand, a force that is mobile and flexible must carry out the attack from the forest. The agility of the crannogmen, the speed of the Ryswell cavalry, and the ability of the Dustin men to keep up with both all make for a good combination. And what could make the attack that would crush the Valemen better than to see the King in the North charging from behind?"

"Then, who would lead the frontal attack?" Marlon Umber asked.

Torrhen stepped in. "I'm placing Lady Bethany Mormont and Lord Dorren Manderly in overall command of the attack, with the vanguard comprised of Bolton spearmen, Umber infantry, and Karstark cavalry. The center will be comprised of the other half of the troops sworn directly to me, and the Manderly and the Mormont men while the flanks can be evened out between the others."

"But for this plan to work to full effect, we would need the element of surprise," Lyanara Mormont pointed out.

"And we shall take use a method already proven successful by the Lannisters," Brandon said. "We attack at night."

The northern lords and ladies, even Rogar Bolton, grinned at using the darkness of night against their adversaries, just like Loren Lannister did against the dragons. _They won't be the only ones who could use the night to their full advantage_.

"When shall we attack?" Lord Umber asked, finality lining his voice.

"We attack at dusk, when most of the Valemen would surely have retired to their tents," Torrhen answered.

"But before we disperse to inform our troops," Ethan Reed stopped them. "We should discuss the other matter that has come to our attention."

Brandon went to Torrhen and whispered in his ear, reminding him of what else they had to deliberate on.

"My lords and ladies, I have just received word from Dragonstone," Torrhen pulled out a piece of parchment. "Lord Orys Baratheon has been rescued through the combined efforts of Lord Jaenyx Belaerys and Lady Visenya Targaryen Belaerys, but at the cost of one of their men."

"That is good news, Your Grace," Warrick Manderly stated. "With Lord Baratheon out of captivity, the stormlords will remain fighting."

"But that's not all," Torrhen said. "Jaenyx Belaerys was able to infiltrate Casterly Rock, a fortress that no army had ever attempted to take, and bring back one of their family and most able commanders alive. That has to tell you all something."

"What would that be, Your Grace?" Rogar Bolton asked.

"Lord Bolton," Jocelyn stepped in. Her reserved nature except in the presence of family made her inclined to listen to what the lords and ladies were discussing until she decided to join the deliberation. "The dragons are already accomplishing feats that none of us would dream of doing. Yes, they suffered setbacks, but with Lord Jaenyx and Lady Visenya doing the impossible, that should convince you all that of the wisdom in our house swearing fealty to the dragons. Sometimes, it is the most unlikely of sorts that do the things that no one can imagine of doing and if the Targaryens and Belaerys' are able to do such feats without wearing crowns, who knows what else they could do when they do have their own thrones to sit on?"

"With respect, Queen Jocelyn," Marlon Umber said. "As true as your statements may be, remember that we are loyal to rulers with the name Stark and we are not comfortable with our king and queen giving up their royal privilege no matter how accomplished other rulers may be."

"Yes, the dragons must understand that the North cannot be ruled the same way as those in the south," Joseth Glover concurred.

"That is something that they understand, my lord," Brandon spoke. "And with Lord Baratheon rescued, they will be in more secure position with the stormlords. But given the unsteady situation in the rest of the south, it'll be up to us to turn the tide, first in the riverlands and then against the rest of the Faith."

"You know the plan, my lords and ladies, and you have your orders. See to your men and prepare yourselves, for tonight is our first major battle," Torrhen said before he dismissed them. Only Brandon and Jocelyn remained in the tent.

"I've known Ondrew for a long time, Torry," Jocelyn began. "But I am not so sure that it was a good idea to put him in charge of the siege at the Twins due to his lack of experience in leading troops."

"His goal is not to take the Twins, but to keep most of the Freys pinned there while we move to secure the northern banks of the Trident," Torrhen explained. "The Freys are not known for their battle prowess and I don't need a proven commander to siege them. Once Seagard is relieved, I'll send a small but able force to supplement Ondrew and that's when they'll storm the castle."

"But given your promise to grant the Twins to Ondrew should he prove successful, he might become bold and try to take the Twins himself," Jocelyn pointed out.

"Maybe," Torrhen admitted. "But a northman shall have the Twins and there is no proper way to reward Ondrew and his house for their long years of service to ours than to grant him his own lands and keep. In addition, the Neck would be completely secure once that bridge is in our hands."

"Controlling the bridge would solve an immediate problem," Brandon added. "We would deny the Valemen the only viable permanent bridge over the Trident and force them to use their pontoon bridges, thereby exposing their forces to the threat from the air."

"Corralling them like livestock to the slaughter," Jocelyn realized. "And you've communicated this with the dragons?"

"Don't need to," Brandon replied. "They have scouts probing the Green Fork and they'll see the chance soon enough. If the Valemen go further south towards either the forces besieging Raventree Hall or to Riverrun, they would be going outside the reach of their supply lines since the Lannisters cannot feed them."

"And so either way, the Valemen would be trapped if they remain on this side of the Green Fork," Jocelyn nodded, now understand the larger stratagem at play.

"If we can attain a decisive result at Seagard," Torrhen said.

"I'll go to see to my father and the men," Jocelyn walked out of the tent.

"The forest around Oldstones is thick, Bran," Torrhen looked at the map. "And it'll be nighttime. How would we move our force through that in darkness without using torches?"

"Autumn will guide us through," Brandon assured him. "And… there is something I should tell you."

"What?"

"Seems the Old Gods seen fit to grant me another ability, because I've had my first wolf dream since before I got my sight," Brandon smiled.

"Wait. So, you're a warg now?"

"I entered Autumn's mind last night and I moved around camp as him. The experience felt too powerful and I talked with the other troops, who all confirmed where I went as Autumn."

"But I've read the stories too, Bran," Torrhen stood straighter. "Only greenseers had the sight and the ability to warg, and you could only identify them if they red or green eyes, which you don't."

"Maybe my warg abilities is not that developed, Torry," Brandon shrugged.

"Bran, I'm worried," Torrhen surprised his brother. "Greenseers were not known to have long lifespans, which forced them to reside within weirwoods. I would like for you to have a woman by your side and have your babes like I did, and maybe, the sight within you would remain alive."

Brandon smiled at his brother's concern for him. "We all have our parts to play, Torry. And if the gods see fit to allow me a woman, then I will gladly embrace her. But don't worry. I don't plan on leaving this world for a long time, and someone's gotta to stop your brooding from adding wrinkles to your already aging self."

Torrhen rolled his eyes at Brandon choosing to jape now. "Worry about yourself, Bran."

* * *

The force of crannogmen, Ryswell cavalry, and Dustin men moved silently through the forest, passing within sight of Oldstones before wheeling northward towards the Valemen encampment. Many were unsure to trust their success against the enemy on how well Brandon was bonded to Autumn, but they would never dare doubt him in front of their king and thus followed their lead.

They were tempted to take the Manderly and Mormont men with them, but that would leave the frontal attack deprived of those who understood clearly of why the North had to side with the Valyrians. Warrick Manderly and Lyanara Mormont led the frontal attack, with Torrhen changing his mind and having Bethany accompany him. He wanted at least one other family member with him.

Once everyone was in position, Torrhen marched the army towards the outskirts of Seagard and before diverting towards the forest. But from the last time they looked in the dying light of the day, it was clear that they had achieved surprise, as the Valemen had retired for the evening and had not expected attack so late. The Umbers and Karstarks charged into the hastily established lines of armored men-at-arms and infantry, with the rest not far behind. However, it was dark and the only light that both sides could rely upon were the flaming arrows that the northmen archers released and the braziers from the Vale camp, both of which didn't do very much in terms of visibility.

While they had achieved surprise and had slightly pushed the enemy back towards their camp, they had to move quickly to maintain the advantage, for the Valemen would not remain disorganized for long and both Brandon and Torrhen feared the results should the full armored might come to bear upon their northmen.

The force could hear the sounds of heavy combat as they moved through the forest. They knew that time was of the essence, but they couldn't risk quickening their pace through the thick brush for fear of losing their way. So, Brandon rode ahead of them, with Autumn leading the way. Wolves could see clearly through the night and a direwolf could see through the dark as if it was day, which combined with their sharpened sense of smell made them ideal to guide the troops through the pitched blackness of the forest.

Brandon soon saw through Autumn that the force was nearing the tree line and thus the enemy camp. He also that there were two men-at-arms standing guard at edge of their camp, their hands rested on the pommels of their swords. Acting quickly, Autumn dashed towards them and used the cover of darkness and the woodlands to mask his approach. At the last moment, Autumn jumped onto the first unsuspecting Vale guard and started to dig into the exposed neck between the helmet and curaisser.

_Boy, continue to attack them. We'll join you soon,_ Brandon told Autumn. He held his hand up as the force finally reach the tree line, but then they saw the rest of the troops were in a bit of trouble from their vantage point on the hill.

The northmen enjoyed superior numbers and that allowed them to enjoy initial success in pushing the Valemen back. However, whoever their commander was had executed a flanking attack, where a large detachment was able to roll onto the northmen's right flank. If they continued to allow the Valemen to exploit their flanks, it wouldn't take long for the rest to follow.

Having made it to the tree line, Torrhen, Brandon, Bethany, Ethan, and the others readied their horses and unsheathed their swords. Torrhen had Ice strapped to his horse, which he would pull out after he dismounted. As for Bethany, she held Longclaw in her hands, its bear pommel and Valyrian steel blade having been in Mormont hands for nearly two centuries at that point.

As for Brandon, he unsheathed his own sword made from the finest castle-forged steel while he continued to watch Autumn unleash carnage upon the Vale encampment.

"Ready, brother?" Torrhen asked as he pulled out another sword, this one shorter than Ice and made of regular steel.

"Ready when you are," Brandon nodded.

Eyeing the camp that was slowly being torn apart, Bethany thrust Longclaw in the air. "THE KING IN THE NORTH!"

"THE KING IN THE NORTH!" the force yelled as their horses galloped and the infantry charged into the unprotected Vale camp.

The rear of their camp was unprotected and therefore, their approach was unimpeded. Only a few Valemen were in the camp as the others were fighting at the front.

Brandon used his broodmare's speed to easily slice through a couple unfortunate Valemen as they tried to flee back into their tents, which didn't do them much good anyway. The northmen began to go on their rampage through the camp, cutting through tent fabrics and killing all those who weren't quick enough to avoid their blades, their axes, and spears. Any valuables plundered by the northmen were to be divided amongst the troops once the battle was over.

Brandon soon saw Autumn as his jaws were crushing a Valeman's skull. Whistling, Autumn strode towards his companion, blood covering his mouth. "Good boy," Brandon reached down to stroke his head. "Ready for another round?" Autumn barked enthusiastically. "Well, let's go."

Brandon rode up to Torrhen, who had regrouped with most of the force while the rest continued to plunder their way through the enemy camp. There, atop of another hill and within clear sight of Seagard, they saw the situation was much more dire than they thought.

The Valemen's flanking maneuver had fallen upon the northmen's right flank. They could also see that their troops were tiring and with their bowmen unable to shoot at the enemy, they had to move fast.

"KING IN THE NORTH!" Ethan Reed yelled one more time before Torrhen and the others charged one more time into the enemy. Autumn outran the horses and pounced onto the first Valeman whose back was turned to the threat from behind.

Despite not being as armored as their Vale adversaries, the momentum from the charge was more than enough to allow the northern cavalry and light infantry to smash through them. While Torrhen finally dismounted and unleashed Ice on their enemies, Brandon continued stabbing and slashing on horseback. He thrust his blade through the exposed neck of a man-at-arms, slashing across the face of another, and used the combined force of his sword's downward swing to crush a Valeman's helmet.

However, a Valeman was able to approach Brandon close enough to present his pike. While it didn't stab the horse, it was enough to scare the mare and thereby allowing for Brandon to be pulled off by another. Fortunately, before he could seriously wound him, he was attacked by Autumn, who jumped on him and bit and scratched at his face and whatever parts were not protected by his plate armor.

As for Brandon, he stood back up quickly and drove his sword through the back of a Vale man-at-arms. But then, a burst of orange fire brightened the darkened battlefield. Brandon turned to his left and saw flames engulfing the ironborn ships that had surrounded the waters off Seagard before a dragon roar pierced through the night.

Brandon narrowed his eyes, the orange flames illuminating the field, and saw the distinct orange form of Vhagar fly above them. _What's Lady Visenya doing here?_ he thought before he barely parried a Vale's sword swing. He struck the Valeman with the pommel of his sword before driving the edge against his throat and cutting it.

While the center of the Vale force was being torn apart, the force that remained fighting on the northmen's right flank continued to hold. That was, until Brandon saw Vhagar descend and unleash her flames onto them. Screams could be heard as the flames practically turned the darkened field into one that could be seen as clearly as day.

Then, a horn blared and whatever was left of the Valemen began to withdraw southwards or eastwards, the former towards the Lannister-controlled parts of the riverlands and the latter back towards their bridges of the Vale. While some would be able to escape, others were not so lucky as the flames spewed out from Vhagar consumed them.

After a few short moments, the result was clear. The North had won its first major engagement with the enemy in the south. Torrhen thrust Ice up and let out a roar, which was echoed by the rest of the northmen. Brandon patted Autumn on his head, blood on them evident, before he heard Vhagar land at the enemy camp. Making his way through the cheering crowds, he ignored the northmen that were still pillaging the enemy tents before finding Vhagar in a clearing, with Visenya stroking her snout.

"Lady Visenya, this is an unexpected surprise," Brandon addressed her.

But instead of the hard gaze that became characteristic of the warrior dragon, Brandon sensed… anguish in her. Then, he remembered that while their rescue of Lord Orys Baratheon was successful, they lost someone very close to them. He didn't know much about Arata Haru except from what he had heard from Rhaenys, but his death had obviously hit Visenya and most definitely Jaenyx very hard.

"You seemed to have been handling yourselves very well," Visenya said.

"Your sudden entry with Vhagar merely quickened the end of the battle," Brandon stated. "You helped reduce the casualties that would have increased with each passing moment."

"Glad I could help with that," Visenya gave a small grin.

"Forgive me, but why are you here, Lady Visenya?"

"To be honest, I needed to stop the gloominess that filled my mind ever since our rescue at Casterly Rock," Visenya admitted.

"I heard about it," Brandon replied. "What you two did would be remembered by Westeros for all time, as no one would dare enter the den of the lions, but I know what afflicts your heart, my lady."

"Do you?" Visenya asked pointedly.

"I'm sorry?"

Visenya took a step closer to Brandon. "What do you know about loss, Lord Brandon?"

"I am familiar with it."

"But none of them were family. Arata Haru was the closest thing to a brother that my husband had after his family died. Konno Haru made him a man, and Arata and Kenzou were there to provide him the companionship that he needed. And now, one of them is dead. I may not have been as close to the Harus as Jaenyx is, but his pain is my pain and I dread the day I have to experience loss in my family, which almost happened with Orys and Rhaenys."

"I meant no offense, my lady," Brandon offered.

"I know," Visenya replied. "But be mindful of what you know and what you don't know. I don't care if you have what Rhaenys says you have, because visions can be very misleading."

"I shall be more mindful in the future," Brandon answered. "On behalf of House Stark, please accept our condolences on the death of Arata Haru."

"Thank you, my lord," Visenya smiled gratefully. "And as for why I am here, I think I understand what Rhaenys was thinking when she almost drowned herself. And like her, I don't want to be consumed by it."

"Of course," Brandon nodded. "You are a warrior and you should be where you belong, the field. I only wish you came sooner, otherwise you might have more meat to cook."

"What?" Visenya was stumped.

"The Valemen were pounding hard on our right flank. If they were able to roll us up, you might have had to burn us all and feed us to Vhagar. I have to tell you know that northmen do not possess the most edible meat, for they are tough."

Visenya let out a laugh while shaking her head. "I like you, Lord Snow. You know how to turn a dreary situation into one where we can find the humor in it."

Brandon shrugged. "Well, someone's got to do it, otherwise my king brother would have more wrinkles than his age would warrant."

Visenya chuckled. "You would speak about your brother in that way?"

"I'm the only one who can."

Visenya kept smiling at Brandon. "Now I see why you and my baby sister have a connection."

"And what would that be?"

"She won't ever let anyone live it down, just like you it would seem. And she… doesn't take things very seriously, which can get irritating at times, but we don't hate her for it. You're like her in that regard."

Brandon looked to the ground while adjusting his gambeson before staring back at Visenya. "I am flattered you would compare me so favorably to someone you love."

"I do love Rhae," Visenya stressed. "And I won't ever see anything bad happen to her. That's why Darvin Hoare and Loren Lannister will die by fire for what they've done to our family."

"And no one would fault you for it," Brandon agreed. "But take care as to not let your hatred for those that wronged you result in… collateral damage."

"If no one stands in our way, there won't have to be," Visenya simply said.

"And what if those that stand in your way are your family?" Brandon asked. _Might as well tell her now._

Visenya narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean?"

"I may not have seen the final fate of Balerion in the timeline I've seen, but I've seen that Balerion was not above killing other dragons also," Brandon revealed.

"What?" Visenya blinked her eyes.

"In that timeline, both you and Lady Rhaenys were married to Lord Aegon and you bore him a son, who then killed his nephew, the eldest son of the other son by Lady Rhaenys. Balerion being the most powerful dragon even at that time was able to kill his nephew and his dragon mount quite easily, and his rider had no compunction in killing his own kin."

Brandon could see that Visenya was beyond shocked. He knew that Visenya wouldn't dare harm her own family, but this had to be said.

"Why are you telling me this?" Visenya asked.

"You may not have it in you to kill your brother or sister, but the question is, will your children have that inability too? It'll be up to you, your husband, and your siblings to ensure that peace reigns among your families so as to prevent inner conflicts. You should know that the Valyrians never got to the point where they engaged in dragon fights with each other before in their history, as they understood the consequences of such fights. So, remember that besides the family bonds that all of you should maintain."

Brandon left Visenya to her thoughts, letting the idea of her own son killing her family sink in. _It must be done, for they should know in order to avoid those mistakes._

* * *

"Thank you for relieving us, Your Grace," Lord Mallister dipped his head in Seagard's great hall.

"No need to thank us yet, my lord," Torrhen replied. "How many fighting men can you muster at the moment?"

"Well, I can still commit four thousand men into the field, King Torrhen."

"We'll need them all, Lord Mallister," Torrhen said. "We have to advance southwards as quickly as we can."

"But what about the threat from the Twins?"

"We have troops taking care of them, my lord," Brandon replied. "But, with the withdrawal of the Valemen further southwards or back towards their bridges over the Green Fork, it won't take long for the Twins to fall without reinforcements."

"Of course, Lord Snow," Lord Mallister nodded. "Again, thank you for relieving us."

"You're very welcome, my lord," Torrhen shook his hand and held up his cup. "And now, let us celebrate. After many setbacks, the North has come and helped win the first major triumph against the Faith. A toast, to the Valyrians that are still fighting and to the destruction of our enemies further south."

"Hear, hear!" the northern lords and ladies held up their goblets.

"And to Lady Visenya Targaryen Belaerys, whose sudden entry into the battle quickly turned the tide and drove our enemies back! She truly is a warrior fit for legends!"

"Hear, hear!" the hall toasted to the lady of House Belaerys before drinking and the bards playing music.

"As sudden as your appearance was, my lady," Jocelyn leaned to Visenya, who sat at her side as the honored guest. "I'm glad for the opportunity to finally trade words with you one-on-one."

"You honor me, Your Grace," Visenya respectfully replied.

"Tell me. How does Lord Orys fare at the moment?"

"He's currently at Duskendale, unconscious at the behest of our healers but under the personal care of Lady Argella."

"The daughter of the Storm King herself? Now, that's a surprise, given the circumstances of their marriage."

"It has been a surprise, Your Grace," Visenya answered. "But I'm glad that my brother and his lady-wife can enjoy an opportunity to grow closer."

"Arranged unions can sometime turn to love, my lady," Jocelyn said. "I was glad that it turned out well for me and Torrhen, whose father wanted to incorporate the crannogmen in Northern affairs."

Visenya nodded. "My union with Lord Jaenyx might have been arranged, but I'm glad that we were able to find love despite how it started."

Brandon was overhearing the conversation while sipping his wine. He had to worry about getting the Mallisters back in the fight, but realized that responsibility mostly lay with Torrhen. As he fed pork ribs to Autumn, he continued to listen.

"Pray tell me, but how did your marriage with Lord Jaenyx turn into love?" Jocelyn inquired.

"He never belittled me," Visenya admitted. "He shared my passions for the magical rituals of Valyria and taught me many things. He challenged me and—"

"I'm sorry to interrupt you so, my lady," Jocelyn spoke. "But, those are not very deep reasons on why love occurs. To be honest with you, the reason why my union with Torrhen became loving was because he wanted another he could family. That's probably one of the reasons why he didn't hate Brandon for being a bastard, because while friends can help you, only family can really be there through thick and thin. So, why did your marriage with Lord Jaenyx become a loving one?"

Visenya sighed. "If that is what you're asking, then it was because he shared his pains with me. I won't go into detail on what he suffered through, but most men would keep such sufferings to themselves and insist on being strong. But not him. He knows that there are limits to his capabilities and to how much he can endure by himself, so he took a chance with me and revealed what troubled him. And I saw that we were not so different and that there would be no other who could understand me as well. Love came because only we can see each other clearly, and I will never let him feel he's alone."

Jocelyn smiled warmly. "Spoken like a woman truly in love and devoted to her man. We'll get on quite nicely, you and I."

"I look forward to it, Queen Jocelyn."

Brandon took it all in. He saw what true love was before, from how Torrhen's mother Queen Gilliane treated him much better than his own mother did. He saw it again with Torrhen and Jocelyn, and now he was seeing it clearly with the Valyrians. The only question that came to his mind was when he himself would experience that with his own special someone.

But that was a concern for another time. _I shall unwind for today, for tomorrow is our next push southwards against the Faith. _

**A/N: The battle was based on the Battle of Otterburn (1388), with a twist and some Oxcross in it. I hope I still got it, people! **

**Someone told me that Visenya had become a bit of a caricature, where she only killed or f**ked Jaenyx. I hope this was a good way to show another side of Visenya and to address that someone's concern. I actually wasn't thinking of including Visenya in this, but I felt that given Arata's death at Casterly Rock, she would be like Rhaenys and try to be more involved with battle to not descend into sadness. **

**As for Brandon, he now has warging and is truly becoming something of a greenseer. However, he's not going to be like Brynden Rivers in that he won't merge with a weirwood. His warging is not as strong as his greensight, so he still has a way of remaining in the physical world. **

**Next, we see the dragons reel with the rescue of Orys and the death of Arata.**


	35. Visenya VIII

**A/N: Hey, guys! Sorry for the repeated delays. On the final week of my term and thus, all of the final projects are due this week, so please excuse the delay. Really happy for the reception that this and my other story has, both of which are dividing my time and attention. Also, one thought that I had which might be a little weird: what would Game of Thrones be like if Daniel Day-Lewis was cast as a major character. I would have liked to see him as a powerful lord in Westeros, where he could scare the bejesus out of types such as Cersei by slamming his hand down on the table like in Lincoln (2012) and saying "I am a Lord clothed in immense power! You will procure me what I seek!" What do you think?**

**Anyway, onward to the story.**

VISENYA VIII

Visenya kept her lips pressed on Jaenyx's thumbs as she took his hands covered her face with them. She had to let her husband know that he was not alone and that she felt his pain when they had to leave Arata behind to die. She only saw him smile while they were making love or be serious when it came to matters concerning the welfare of his people. However, this was the first time in a while that she saw real sadness from Jaenyx and she had to be by his side when she saw teardrops fall from his eyes.

Visenya didn't know Arata as well as Jaenyx did, the same applying for his father and younger brother. Whatever misgivings she might have had towards Konno Haru for his rather harsh methods, she felt indebted to him because he was there when Jaenyx's parents and older brother died. Kenzou was just like his father when it came seriousness and tenacity, while Arata represented a past before everything went to shit. From what Rhaenys described Arata, he was a pleasant and jovial fellow who loved to smile and jest whenever he trained her. And just like his father, he was an expert warrior, skilled with knives and the bow besides the sword.

It tore at Visenya's heart when she saw Jaenyx and Rhaenys cry over Arata's death, with her sister developing strong fondness for the kinder Haru as he didn't verbally abuse her or utilized harsh methods. Aegon tried to provide as much comfort to Rhaenys and Jaenyx as best as he could, as he also had a high opinion of Arata.

But what really worried Visenya was how Konno took the news of his son's death and Kenzou for his older brother. Whatever tears that both of the Haru men might have shed for their loss must've been drained from their bodies, as they already used whatever tears they had from when they were forced into exile from their homes.

"Konno, I am so sorry about Arata," Visenya spoke to Jaenyx's teacher in nihongo. She was worried that because she didn't shed as much tears as Jaenyx and Rhaenys, her condolences would have been seen as insincere.

Fortunately, Konno took in a deep breath before looking at Visenya with the softest gaze that she had seen from him. "It wasn't your fault," Konno replied in nihongo. "And I know that you would have done everything in your power to get him out of that wretched place. I can take comfort in the knowledge that my son went down fighting like a true warrior."

Visenya was not convinced. "Konno, if there is anything that I can do for you or Kenzou—"

Konno shook his head. "I can handle myself, and so can my son."

"Are you sure?"

Konno became offended at Visenya's implication. "Are you doubting my fortitude, Lady Visenya?"

Visenya put her hands up. "I am sorry. I was only offering any support that I can give while you mourn—"

Konno held up his hand. "I saw my lord's wife and daughters be violated beyond recognition and I lost my wife when we were set upon by Ghiscari pirates on our way to refuge at the Basilisk Isles. I've experienced loss, my lady, and I will get through this like the others, something that you know nothing of."

Visenya calmed herself, shaking off Konno essentially slapping her hand away. "You're right, I know nothing of loss and I consider myself fortunate to not have experienced that yet. However, if there is someone who has a claim to pain as great as yours, it's Jaenyx. I don't have to tell you what he went through and I know his pain may not compare to what it would feel like when your son dies before you do, but one of the things that he did that I know helped heal the wounds from his time in Sothoryos was sharing his inner afflictions. He told me about the scars and what his mother did for him on our wedding night, but I wasn't repulsed. For the past several moons, I was at his side and I was his support just as he was mine. Now, he's a happy man and he's about to be a father, all because he took that chance."

Konno stared hard at Visenya. "That may be the case for Jaenyx, and I am glad that he found a woman who could be by his side. But he lost his family due to circumstances beyond his control. My son… the enemy may be mutilating his corpse as we speak and I haven't been able to bury him. My blood has been spilt, and blood must be repaid with blood."

Visenya blinked. "Wait, so you're not mourning for Arata?"

"I do mourn for my son!" Arata almost roared. "But I know who killed him. Just like with the bastards who dared laid a finger on my liege's family, I will not rest until the corpses of the ones responsible for my son's death are in my hands. I shall paint their castles with two coats of their blood and I will festoon my chambers with their innards. But first, I will kill every Lannister that I get my hands on and strangle each one before Loren's very eyes, make him feel what it is like to lose those you love. And I will tie his head to a tail of my horse and allow the shit to defile him even in death. Only then, will I be satisfied."

As hard as Visenya was, she had to step back as Konno let forth his tirade. She had learned from Jaenyx that the quiet ones usually had the most intense fury and Konno Haru was many times quieter.

Collecting herself, Visenya was about to leave the room and allow Konno to continue mourning in silence, ignoring the fact that his rage and unwillingness to share the sufferings in his heart would do more damage than good. However, she had to know something. "About my brother, Orys. Do you feel any resentment towards him?"

Konno exhaled. "Arata died so that your brother could escape. I shall have words with him and see if he was worth my son's life. I am not going to let him forget of the price my family paid so that he can return to his."

"I don't he will ever forget the one who gave his life, Konno. My brother knows how to be grateful and I am sure that he will let you know of the debt he owes to your family."

"He better, Lady Visenya." As she turned to leave, Konno called out, "Congratulations on the babe growing in your womb. Hopefully, he won't have to die an untimely death like my child did."

Visenya could sense the bitterness in Konno's voice, but she nodded her thanks before exiting the room.

As for Jaenyx, he remained the same way since she flew off on Vhagar to help the Starks and the northmen at Seaguard. It was supposed to be a time of celebration for them, as they finally managed to make a babe after so much lovemaking and after over a year. Their happiness was tempered by Arata's death and the most recent of Jaenyx's many personal losses.

Sitting next to Jaenyx, Visenya put her arms on her shoulders and kissed his cheek.

"I miss him so much already," Jaenyx's voiced cracked while he spoke High Valyrian.

"I know," Visenya nodded.

"He was like a brother to me."

Visenya rested her head against Jaenyx's neck. "I know."

"Why did he have to die?" Jaenyx asked mostly to himself.

Visenya pulled Jaenyx into her arms and held him very tightly, patting her hands along his back. "Let it out, Jae. Let it out."

Jaenyx let forth a stream of tears that both of them didn't know that he still had for Arata. Visenya saw him angry, saw him smile, and saw him committed, but she never saw him so… wrecked. While being by his side might have helped Jaenyx not to plunge deep into the emotional abyss, Visenya didn't want to see him cry tears of sadness, as that could plunge him back into the hole that he was in ever since his family died. _No, he has a family now and he's about to be a father._

Knowing no other way for Jaenyx to stop crying in agony, Visenya stared straight into his violet eyes, reddened after the many tears that streamed from his face. She pulled him to a deep kiss, running her hands along his back before they had to pull apart for want of breath.

However, Visenya still saw Jaenyx's eyes filled with tears. Deciding to push the situation, she grabbed his hands and placed them on her bosom, making his fingers knead them while she slowly moaned in pleasure.

Jaenyx's eyes flickered as he also felt pleasure from his hands on Visenya's solid breasts through her blouse, while his hands began to squeeze them with more intention. Satisfied that he was slowly getting out of his gloomy stupor, Visenya pulled closer to him and rested her forehead on his while keeping his hands where they were. _Where they belonged._

"I want you to fuck me, Jae," Visenya whispered in his ear in High Valyrian. As his fingers continued to press against her bosom, she began to feel a desire for her husband that burned brighter than before. She didn't know if it was the pregnancy making her like this, but she wasn't going to question a very good thing.

Jaenyx swallowed, but not out of nervousness. "Will our baby get hurt while we do it?"

Visenya placed her left hand on his right cheek, making him look straight into her eyes. "Our baby will be fine," she assured Jaenyx. "I'm pretty sure he or she wouldn't mind if kepa and muna pleasured each other and continued to express our love."

"How do you know?"

Visenya was about to scold him before remembering that Jaenyx wasn't a woman and thus was unfamiliar with how she, like other women, knew for certain when the babe in their womb will be all right. "It's our babe, Jae. If he or she takes after both of us, he or she will be fine. Besides, I have to keep you from falling into the hole that you're about to fall into."

Jaenyx smiled, which was exactly what Visenya was looking for. She kissed him, which again became deeper but sloppier as they started to succumb to their temptations. _Anything to get Jae happy again and to celebrate our new babe._

Visenya was momentarily worried that she rushed it, but lost control as she felt Jaenyx edge his hand to the bottom of her blouse and pull it over her, allowing her bare chest to be exposed to her husband, who was always mesmerized at how his life looked without garments. She did not protest as he kneaded her breasts some more and took one into his mouth, causing her to moan louder. Her heart skipped a beat as she felt his cock trying its best to get out of his breeches. Every time they made love was perfection, as they learned that they couldn't control their intimate parts from making discharges when they suddenly came. His cock slowly became sticky while she became wet between the legs. Involuntarily, his hands fell to her ass and squeezed her cheeks through her leather trousers, causing more moans. Remembering that he still had his shirt on, she grabbed its hem and pulled it over him, exposing his bare chest and sculpted muscles to her lustful eyes.

Visenya leaned forward to capture his lips again. Her breasts rested against his chest while her hands began to work on the laces of his pants. Jaenyx quickly removed his boots before Visenya yanked his breeches down. He kicked them away and pulled her flush against him with his lips on hers and his cock poking into her stomach.

Always knowing to make every night better than the one before, Jaenyx savored their kiss and slowly eased his way from Visenya's lips, down her neck, and to her breasts. With a hand kneading one and the other in his mouth, she knew that he still marveled at how perfect they were, and she exploited that fact whenever they coupled. When his teeth grazed her already hard nipple, Visenya moaned and ran her nails through his scalp. Releasing the breast with a pop, he switched to the other. Visenya knew that he could just focus on her breasts all night, bringing her more glee, but the night couldn't be spent on one part alone.

As he pulled away from her breasts, he looked to her beautiful folds that glistened under the light. _He knows that I am wet for him, and he's the only one that will make me so._

Just as Jaenyx moved to lap up her juices and get a taste of her, Visenya lifted his chin with her tough hands. "Take me to bed," she commanded.

"As you command my lady," Jaenyx responded and placed his hands on her ass to lift her into the air. Visenya's legs were wrapped around his back with her hands on his neck. She could feel her wet cunt against his abdomen. He carried her back inside to gently lay her upon the silk sheets of their bed. While she would prefer that their coupling be rougher, her main priority was to stop Jaenyx from crying and she knew that her body was the best way to stop that. She was going to compromise just this one night if it stopped the tears.

Visenya's legs were already open for him and Jaenyx took the time to kiss her inner thighs before reaching his intended destination. When he was finally upon her cunt, he ran his tongue along the edge of her folds, hoping to tease her. Visenya's legs tightened around his head, but he reacted instantly and spread them wider than they were before. Knowing he needed to move this along, he focused his attention on her nub and circled it with his tongue. "Oh fuck, Jae, Jae. Right there," Visenya moaned in High Valyrian. Ready to become undone, she felt him flick his tongue in rapid succession against her nub.

"Jae!" Visenya screamed, as she continued to vocalize her pleasure in their mother tongue as she came. Feeling her body shudder uncontrollably, she felt Jae lap up her juices and moved his tongue into her folds to get his fill. She knew that he loved the taste and the wonders of his tongue, which never failed to make her insides explode with waves of lust and pleasure_._

The hand Visenya had been running through his loose silver hair now pulled him up from her cunt. "Get inside me now!" Visenya ordered him. Not hesitating for a moment, he took his cock and slowly ran it through her folds to coat the tip in her juices before finally moving his hips into her. Slowly, he moved his member until he was fully sheathed in her hot cunt and hit her walls. At a steady rate, he accelerated his pace into the one that Visenya preferred when they were making love, fast and hard. _Good, now he's becoming the Jae that I know and love_, Visenya thought happily as she wrapped her legs around his waist and urging him to go deeper.

Before they knew it, Jaenyx was pounding into Visenya at a furious pace and their bodies were perfectly in sync. Every time he hit the back of her cunt, Visenya dug her nails into his back and screamed his name. She was pleased that her efforts to make her husband the lover that she was familiar with had paid off. "Faster Jae, faster," Visenya panted as the words nearly failed on her lips. _Shit, I am going to spill soon._ Then, Jaenyx followed his instincts and took his hand out of her hair, moving it to play with her clit as his other hand kneaded a breast.

Visenya bunched the sheets in both her fists and she felt her body shudder with her legs shaking and pulling him in closer. Her walls squeezed his cock and Jaenyx tried to thrust into her even faster if it was possible. "Visenya, oh gods, you are so—" but he couldn't finish as his cock responded to her warm cunt and spilled ropes of his seed onto her walls. As he came, he briefly lost control of his thrusts, but recovered to keep pounding into her until he was sure he was spent for the moment.

Moments after giving her his seed, Jaenyx fell into Visenya's embrace with his face in her breasts and her hand moving through his hair. Like him, Visenya was thoroughly exhausted and both were drenched in sweat from their lovemaking. However, she expected that Jaenyx was not done, as he gathered his strength and moved his weight off of her. Soon enough, Jaenyx had flipped them both over so Visenya was on top. Her face hovered above his and she found herself lost in his dark, beautiful eyes. _The same ones that I fell in love with._

As Visenya ran her hand through his smooth silver hair, she captured his swollen lips into hers as she felt Jaenyx run his other hand down her back to her ass. "Do you want to take me from behind?" Visenya offered, knowing that he would say yes.

Not answering, Jaenyx moved Visenya off of him and maneuvered behind her, while she got on her hands and knees. She allowed her husband to take a moment to stare at her ass, but she did not expect him to lick his hand and spread some of the water from his mouth onto her opening. He never done that before, but she felt more pleasure flow through her as she moaned again. She then felt Jaenyx move down to kiss each cheek before slapping both with affection. Right after, he slammed his hips into her ass and sheathed his length into her cunt.

Jaenyx was moving into her as fast as he could with his hands moving back and forth from her hips and ass. Moments into his thrusting, he moved a hand into her silver hair as her back arched to give him greater access while her face screamed into the pillows. She reached her peak again and lost concentration as she felt his hands fondle her dangling breasts and his chest against her back from leaning down to her. But to her delight, she knew that Jaenyx also lost his. His cock prematurely exited her entrance, which caused Visenya to whine in frustration from losing its warmth, but she suddenly felt it again as it slammed into her with a force that she had not felt in some time. She bit onto the pillow as she muffled her scream, which caused some worry from Jaenyx.

"Vis, you okay?" Jaenyx asked with concern.

As much as she appreciated it, Visenya was not inclined to cease their coupling until it was done completely. "No, don't stop, keep going. I like it," she panted as she was nearly out of breath. Frustrated that he was hesitating, she reached back to grab his cock and guided it to her rosebud. He was slow to enter her there, but they were both about to tumble over the edge. As soon as he entered her, he set a far slower pace and did not last long. Her ass was tight and he quickly spilled into her. The sight and feel of his cock in her ass with her sobbing with pleasure broke his will to last.

When Jaenyx finished, Visenya fell onto her side and her head rested on her arm as she watched Jaenyx reach for the water basin near the bed to quickly wash off the stench of sweat that was. Visenya got up from under the sheets and wrapped her arms around Jaenyx's core while placing a kiss on his shoulders.

"Did you enjoy it, my love?" Visenya rhetorically asked.

"Do you need to ask that?" she felt Jaenyx smile as he continued to wipe himself with the wet cloth.

"Well, you seemed pretty gloomy just moments ago when we still wore all of our garments," Visenya nibbled against his neck.

"You know the way into my heart, Vis," Jaenyx answered back

"Allow me," Visenya took the cloth from his hand. She slowly washed his thighs and around his core while placing soft kisses on his hip and muscled abdominals. "I thank the gods everyday for them making you my husband."

Jaenyx rested his hand on Visenya's head. "And I thank the gods for making you my wife. And soon, the mother of our children."

Visenya looked up at him, struggling to maintain her gaze on his eyes while not staring on his cock. "Children?"

Jaenyx looked confused. "I thought you wanted several children, which you said back before we moved on Haystack Hall."

Visenya quickly remembered before smiling. "Oh, yes. And I do want to have many children by you."

"How many are you thinking to have?"

Now that they were discussing it, Visenya frankly didn't think that far. However, she was not planning on stopping after a certain number, as she wanted many that took after her and the man she married and grew to love. Like with Rhaenys, she wanted the child growing in her womb to be the first of several.

"As many as we can," Visenya finally answered while standing up and wiping the sweat off of Jaenyx's chest.

Jaenyx grinned. "What about names?"

"What are you thinking of?" Visenya moved the cloth to wipe his neck.

"It depends on whether our child is a boy or a girl, but I would like to have a daughter first."

Visenya blinked, but blissfully surprised. "Why do you want a girl first?"

Jaenyx placed a hand on her cheek while Visenya wiped his sides. "I know any daughters we have will be like you, Vis, so I want to see more of you making small men cower in fear of your strength."

Visenya leaned his hand and kissed his palm. "I would like to have a boy first, Jae. I know for sure that any sons we have will be like you, so I want to see more of you with your strength rescuing those in need."

Visenya then wiped his face with the wet cloth while Jaenyx rest his hand on her shoulder. Stepping away from the water basin, she then felt herself be scooped up off of the floor and carried to their bed. They needed their rest after their many exertions and she was flush against his side.

"Oh, Jae," Visenya stared into Jaenyx's eyes. "We already talked about whether we want a boy or a girl first, but what about names? Even though I would prefer a boy, all that matters is whether the child is healthy. Just as important is the child's name."

Jaenyx nodded. "You're right. Do you have any suggestions?"

"Hmm," Visenya pondered. "If it's a girl, how about Maenarys?"

Jaenyx pursed his lips, but Visenya was relieved that her husband had come a long way from mourning his mother. "That's one option. But I was also thinking of naming our first daughter after my ancestor, Jaenara. Seems fitting."

Visenya shrugged. "That could work. But as accomplished as Jaenara Belaerys was, I fear that she's too much of a distant memory from our family's past. I was thinking of naming her after someone much closer to your heart."

Jaenyx kissed her brow, touched by Visenya's thoughts, while flicking her nipple. "In that case, we could name her after Valaena then. You certainly got your fire from her."

Visenya slapped his chest before she lost control from how Jaenyx played with her. "And if it's a boy?"

"Now that'll be something that everyone will expect," Jaenyx chortled. "Although… I can't think of any good names for boys from my family. My father Auryon died a painful death and my grandfather was not a good man, both of whom have names that I associate with sorrow."

"What about Gaerys?"

Jaenyx's eyes darkened at the mention of his brother's name, prompting Visenya to silently curse herself. "No," he simply replied.

"Didn't you love your brother?" Visenya asked.

"I did, but he died an inglorious death and I don't want to be reminded of how he died."

"Haven't you moved on from that?"

Jaenyx sighed. "I am still working on it, but the afflictions from that time is still in my heart and I would rather not be reminded of that time. I have you," Jaenyx pulled her closer to him. "And I have Egg and Rhae. I don't want to ruin something good with thoughts from the past."

Visenya beamed, but she wasn't sure if they should discard his past as Jaenyx was implying. "However he died, Gaerys was still your brother. We have to make sure some part of him lives somehow."

Jaenyx nodded. "What name do you suggest then?"

That's when it hit Visenya. "How about we combine names? We can keep the first part of Gaerys' name but put it with something else. We could go with Gaerion, using part of kepa's name for our son."

"Gaerion Belaerys…" Jaenyx thought aloud before grinning. "I like it. And if it's a girl?"

"We can go with something that honors the muna I never met and Jaenara Belaerys. Maybe Maenara?"

"Maenara Belaerys," the sound almost rolled off of Jaenyx's tongue. "Another good one."

Visenya kissed his jawline. "And with more children should come more dragons. What do you think we should do so that our children could also become riders?"

"Well, we can't force our dragons to mate, and three of ours are she-dragons, so Balerion will need to put in a lot of effort to please all three."

Visenya laughed at the thought of Aegon's dragon impregnating Meraxes, Vhagar, and Cloudwynd. She wouldn't be surprised with Meraxes, but Vhagar and Cloudwynd… not so much.

"Unless," Jaenyx continued. "We somehow tame the two wild dragons at the Dragonmont."

"How do you suggest we do that?"

"Taygor knows some rituals and I can use my horn to get their attention," Jaenyx explained.

"But who would ride them? In case you've noticed, we're two riders short."

Jaenyx shrugged. "Well, obviously one of those riders has to be Lord Aerion. He might be old, but he's still potent. It is the right of every one who carries the blood of the dragon to experience the thrill of riding fast through the air."

Visenya smiled at the thought of their father, not able to tame a dragon, finally learning how to ride one. There were many things that she could teach him when it came to dragonriding, although Rhaenys might have more to say on the matter.

"Okay, I can see kepa riding one of them. That leaves one more."

Jaenyx pondered. "Lady Valaena is a Targaryen through her mother, right?"

Visenya nodded. "Yes. Kepa and muna were cousins, but they both carry the blood of the dragon. Wait a moment, you're not thinking…"

"Why not?" Jaenyx asked. "We might have the Northern kingdom on our side, but we would more assets to win this war and adding two dragons certainly count."

"I'm not so sure of our mother being used as an asset," Visenya lightly protested.

"Think of it. Your mother has the blood of the dragon and we would six dragons flying through the air. We'll cover more ground that way and greatly increasing our chances of winning. But don't you worry, Vis. We shan't actively put them in harm's way."

Visenya raised her eyebrow. "What do you mean by that?"

"Well, we, Aegon, and Rhaenys are the four experienced dragonriders. It wouldn't make sense if Lord Aerion and Lady Valaena actively participated in combat after just taming their dragons. During battle, we should keep them behind the lines and only call on them if our situation turns dire. Plus, our family would be even more feared once six dragons fly in the sky instead of four."

Now that they were talking about it, Visenya couldn't deny that logic. _More dragons and more riders we have, the better._

"And besides practical considerations?" Visenya inquired.

"I'm betting one of the wild dragons is a he, so the burden on Balerion to breed dragon eggs might be lessened from his wings no matter how big and powerful they are."

Visenya laughed while Jaenyx ran his hand along her back. "In that case, do you mind being burdened some more?"

Jaenyx's eyes widened as Visenya climbed onto him and straddled his waist while bringing his hands to squeeze her breasts once more. He gulped, the temptation to make love to his wife again being too much.

"Even though we have a babe on the way, let's work on having some more afterwards," Visenya moaned as Jaenyx's fingers kneaded her breasts.

"Don't need to tell me twice, Vis," Jaenyx reached up and kissed her before readjusting his length and pushing upward into her velvet entrance.

* * *

"Do I have to do this, Vis?" Jaenyx asked.

Visenya slapped his shoulder. "It's been six moons since that little spat you two had. You rescued him and now it's time to patch things up between the both of you."

Jaenyx sighed before nodding. "All right. As you wish."

Visenya leaned up to whisper in his ear. "You do it right, I might have some more surprises waiting in our chambers."

Jaenyx snickered. "When did you become so eager? I know you like it when we make love, but I would've thought that what we just did moments ago was pleasing enough for you."

"It was, but you should know that I am feeling many things because of you, especially since your seed created the babe that is now in my womb." Indeed, Visenya being pregnant made her more desiring of her husband's embrace and of his attention in bed.

"Well, I best say it right then. Looking forward to what else you are feeling for me afterwards," Jaenyx quipped.

Visenya pecked his lips. "We shall see."

Approaching Orys' chambers, Visenya and Jaenyx saw Orys awake in his bed. His hair and beard were trimmed and he was dressed in tan gowns while he lay there under the sheets. But what tore at Visenya's heart was his bandaged left hand, or what was left of it. His ring and pinky fingers were missing, the digits used by Loren Lannister in order to make their family do something rash and get an explosive reaction from them all. They still kept the digits around the citadel somewhere at their father's insistence, even if it still gave off a rotting smell. The only comfort that Visenya could take was that Orys still had his right hand, his good hand, perfectly healthy. _Loren Lannister will pay for harming our brother._

Orys noticed the two enter his chambers. "Oh, hi there," he attempted to get up before Visenya moved to stop him.

"No, Orys. Rest, you need it," Visenya set him back on the pillow. "How you holding up?"

"Good, considering that my ordeal would've been worse," Orys glanced at the remains of his left hand.

"Don't worry, Orys. We'll get the bastard who did this to you. We'll see how a lion can withstand a dragon," Visenya assured him.

"I dread for Loren Lannister then," Orys smiled before looking at Jaenyx. "Jaenyx."

"Orys," Jaenyx said in the common tongue.

"I don't know how to thank you for saving me. I know Vis would, but I didn't expect, considering what happened six moons ago."

"As I said, I would not be honoring the agreement I made when I first came to love and respect the family I was marrying into if I didn't save you from that lion bastard," Jaenyx answered.

Orys grinned. "Well, I'm grateful that you did. I blacked out while there and I don't know if I could last longer in their chains."

Jaenyx nodded his head before Visenya elbowed him hard in the ribs, jolting him. "Jae, don't you have something to say to Orys?"

"Say what?" Orys was curious.

Jaenyx bobbed his head. "Right. What happened six moons ago was… petty. I've had preconceived notions on whom you were and I let them affect my better judgment. I was so… stuck on the established behaviors of Valyrians that I forgot that you were also mostly Valyrian despite you not having the traits. The stress of battle was no excuse for me to imply that you didn't belong in the family and I didn't give you the respect that you were due. You proved me wrong, Orys, and if it's worth anything, I am sorry for the words I've said outside of Bronzegate."

Visenya nodded approvingly before turning to Orys. He sighed before nodding his head. "And I'm sorry too, about what I said about your family. But now that I think about it, with the Faith trying to wipe us out, maybe bringing back some part of Valyria may not be such a bad idea. We're Valyrians after all, so we should embrace it."

Jaenyx grinned widely. "Well said, Orys. Be proud of where you come from and never let anyone tell you different. Anyone who ever called you a bastard will suffer our wrath, including my own. That, I can guarantee you."

Visenya stuck herself against Jaenyx's side, happy that he was willing to go to such lengths for Orys now.

"Jaenyx," Orys swallowed before continuing. "I'm so sorry about Arata. I know that he was like a brother to you and he shouldn't have to die there."

Visenya hitched her breath, nervous at how Jaenyx would react at the mention of Arata's name. To her relief, Jaenyx offered Orys a small smile. "He died like a warrior, just like his father and he would have wanted. What should be done now is avenging his death and raining fire on those that dared to cut him."

Orys bobbed his head with resolution. "Of course. And listen, Jaenyx, if there is anything that I can do for Konno or his brother Kenzou—"

Jaenyx held up his hand. "No, no. Whatever you have to say next, you should discuss with them personally. I can't speak for them."

Orys exhaled before nodding. "Fair enough."

They then heard the doors to the chambers open. Turning around, Visenya was surprised to see Argella holding a tray with various healing herbs and potions along with a plate of bacon and peas.

"Lady Argella," Visenya addressed her with astonishment. "This is… unexpected."

Argella shrugged. "I figured that my lord husband would need a more… personal touch to his recuperation from this point on."

"Did you cook the bacon and peas?" Visenya asked.

"No," Argella admitted. "And these herbs and healing potions I got from one of Lord Jaenyx's healers, Taygor if I remember correctly."

"He's not a healer. He's my cousin," Jaenyx corrected with slight annoyance.

"Forgive me, my lord," Argella apologized.

"And you're here to look after my brother from here on out?" Visenya looked at Orys, who was just as surprised as she was but also looked happy to his wife in this trying time.

"If you'll allow me," Argella answered courteously.

Visenya nodded before urging Jaenyx out of the chambers. "Let's go, Jae." But before they exited, she stopped to stare at Argella's blue eyes straight. "My brother was tortured and his left hand mutilated. Help him as a good wife should, or you'll hear it from me," she warned.

Argella stared back before bobbing her head. "I'd expect nothing less."

Satisfied, Visenya took Jaenyx out of the chambers, leaving Orys and Argella to have their own private time before they returned to their own, trying to take full advantage of the lull they had before they had to resume the march on their enemies.

**A/N: For this chapter and the next, I'm taking it slow since there has been much fighting and our dragons need a breather. Plus couldn't resist putting in some lovemaking between Vis and Jae after what seemed like while :) And yay, they're finally discussing names! **

**And thus, we see Jaenyx and Orys patching things up and admitting that they were wrong about each other. Jaenyx is slowly becoming less rigid when it comes to what it means to be a Valyrian while Orys is embracing his Valyrian side. Westeros will not be the same after the dragons are done and will be very different than in canon, now that we have a strong Valyrian presence on the rise. **

**Next, we see a different POV while witnessing Argella's and Orys' union go deeper.**


	36. Argella I

**A/N: I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy from the coronavirus. Follow what the CDC is recommending to avoid being sick and please keep those that are suffering in your mind and in your heart. It truly is a pandemic on a level not seen in decades.**

**On the flip side, all of my courses at university have now been moved online and thus freeing up a huge chunk of my time for writing. And this will be a different POV. **

**Enjoy! **

ARGELLA I

Argella walked past Lord Jaenyx and Lady Visenya as they exited Orys' chambers. From what she was able to glean from Lord Dondarrion, the Belaerys' were very much in love with each other. Their open displays of affection, along with Aegon and Rhaenys Targaryen, did not sit well with a few of the stormlords since it didn't fit propriety. But considering that the four had actual dragons, they didn't dare voice their disapproval in their presence.

Not that Argella cared that much about what they thought. They never ended their grumbling ever since she ordered all the stormlords and anyone else of importance to evacuate to the east banks of the Slayne, while the rainwood and the forests along the Wendwater protected their flanks. While no one questioned the soundness of her actions given that the stormlords were outnumbered by the combined might of the Gardener host led by Prince Edmund Gardener, abandoning their castles to the enemy didn't sit well with them. What's more, Argella ordering them to slight their castles to prevent the enemy from using them caused quite the uproar. Families such as the Swanns, the Selmys, and the Carons had occupied those fortresses for centuries and for them to destroy their own home was unthinkable. However, Lord Dondarrion defended Argella tore down the walls of Blackhaven before retreating with his house's harvests and retinue.

Argella was thankful for Lord Dondarrion's support during the difficult time of holding back the Gardener host and dealing with the stormlords' grumbling. Her ancestor had raised House Dondarrion to lordship and thus the Durrandons gained a house that would remain loyal to them forever. If only the other houses were like the Dondarrions.

But House Durrandon was no longer the ruler of the stormlands, replaced by House Baratheon via Orys, who claimed Storm's End by right of conquest after killing Argilac Durrandon in close combat. That also meant that the dragons now ruled over her house's former kingdom, since Orys was mostly Valyrian despite not having their characteristic silver hair and amethyst eyes.

Argella saw Orys lie there in the bed, still recuperating from his time in captivity. She remained in awe of what Lord and Lady Belaerys accomplished, as no army, not even a small band of men, were able to infiltrate Casterly Rock and emerge out of that fortress alive. However, the Belaerys and their foreign assassins achieved the impossible and rescued Orys, even though they lost a man in the process. All of Westeros will know their names after what they've achieved.

The stormlords certainly became familiar with Lord and Lady Belaerys after what they've done and their mood suddenly changed from grumbling to celebrating. While Argella was happy that Orys was back and that her vassals held respect for her husband, she found herself… disappointed at how quickly they changed moods. The only reason why they followed Orys was because he demonstrated combat prowess against the corsairs from the Stepstones and against their rivals across the Red Mountains in the Tarlys and the Peakes.

The problems that Argella faced when she was her father's only heir had risen back up, and the only reason why the stormlords didn't outright revolt against her for her decision to withdraw to the Slayne amidst reports of what Edmund Gardener and the Faith were doing in the stormlands through their zealousness was because Orys was back and alive. Still, she found her belief in her vassals' loyalty shaken because they still didn't respect her. I am a woman in a mostly man's world and they'll just find more excuses to not hold me in any regard.

However, Argella decided to put aside her stewing and put her attention on her lord husband. He was awake and the tan gown he wore hid any scars he obtained from his captivity. But the one thing that couldn't be concealed was his left hand, or what was left of it. Apparently, Loren Lannister had a certain predilection for inflicting pain besides being a king that his adversaries ignored at their own peril. His strategy at Riverrun was quite ingenious, but like all men, he had his vices and all of them must've revolved around causing pain. He certainly does embody the cunning that is characteristic of those at Casterly Rock, but bastard or not, you don't harm a lord without the consequences following. From how Orys' trueborn family reacted, she knew that she wouldn't have to wait long for the Lannister king to get his comeuppance.

"Hello, Argella," Orys tried to rise from the pillows. She set the tray down before she helped Orys sit and adjusted the pillows to rest his back against.

"How are you, Orys?" Argella pulled up a chair and sat besides Orys.

"Holding up well, considering what I've been through," Orys glanced at his left hand.

"I know that I am not the first person to say this, but the Lannister will get what's coming to him. There are lines that you don't cross when it comes to prisoners and he crossed many of them," Argella looked at Orys' eyes.

Orys closed his eyes while nodding. "Thank you, Argella."

Argella stood up from the chair, poured some water into a cup, and crushed some dried herbs before stirring them and a vial of potion with the water.

"What's that?" Orys eyed the mixture Argella was making.

"Lord Jaenyx's cousin, Taygor Leniar, told me that this mixture would help seal the cuts on your skin while managing any pain you might still have," Argella responded. "He couldn't be here himself because he had business to attend to."

"Really?"

"Yes," Argella finished mixing and brought the cup near to Orys for him to drink it while holding the back of his head up. As he swallowed, his face twisted in disgust and he struggled to not spit it out.

"What the fuck is that?" Orys shook his head to shake off some of the effects of the potion.

"Don't ask me. I was merely following his instructions," Argella set the cup back down before bringing the tray with bacon and peas.

As Argella cut the bacon into smaller bits to make it easier for Orys to pick up, she glanced at her lord husband. Knowing that his left hand would be the cause of many unwanted looks, she looked through the openings of his tunic and could see the scars from his torture. She could also make out burn marks, the type that usually resulted when hot metal was pressed against the skin. She knew that he had endured through something that no one should have gone through, lord or not.

But rather than be repulsed by it, Argella saw his scars and burn marks as evidence of the resilience Orys displayed prior. She knew that the scars on Orys' body and his weakened state would not sit well any other woman, as they would not want to be with a man with so much external and internal injuries. However, Argella could care less about what they thought. Most women have not been princesses or queens, if only for a short moment.

If anything, seeing Orys' scars and seeing him so calm even when confined to the bed made Argella want him more. She may have looked strong and her experience dealing with small-minded men and military matters might have not sat well with those that were not used to seeing women handling such affairs, but she could not deny the loneliness and anger at people treating her bad because she was different. Orys had treated with respect and never disparaged her father, going so far as to show shame. And now, she finally found someone who understood what it was to languish among those that sought to usurp her.

At the same time, one question still lingered in her mind. Orys was more valuable alive and unspoiled. He's still alive, but Loren Lannister harmed a lord. A king would know better than to inflict injuries on a valuable hostage.

"Orys, can I ask you something?" Argella finished cutting the bacon.

"Sure," Orys reached for the fork.

"Why did King Loren harm you so? No matter the circumstances of your birth, you were a lord and you were more useful as a hostage instead of a prisoner."

Orys swallowed some bacon down before looking at Argella. "Well, try saying that to the lords sword to King Loren. I'm a bastard and in their eyes, they could treat me however they wished."

"But why cut off your fingers and cut across your chest and back? There's just no point to that."

"Should there be? King Loren is a bloodthirsty shit as I had personally discovered. Took pleasure in cutting off every bit of pinky and ring fingers. At least he didn't touch my good hand," Orys continued eating the bacon.

"But a king like Loren would not be so reckless unless he felt so insulted as to throw off any restraint he had towards you," Argella pointed out.

Orys continued to stare at Argella, with her staring back hard. He sighed and set the fork down, knowing that Argella wouldn't stop asking until she got answers.

"I can only guess that he treated me the way he did because I spat in his face," Orys admitted, prompting Argella to raise an eyebrow. "He told me to do something that I did not wish to do and the fingers and cuts were attempts by him and his kennelmaster to coerce me."

Spitting in a king's face? My lord husband has some gall for doing that. "And what did he want you to do?"

Orys swallowed. "King Loren told me that Mern Gardener never forgot King Argilac killing his uncle at Summerfield and that he wishes to annex the former Storm kingdom as revenge."

Of course he would, Argella silently scoffed. The one thing that she strongly shared with the stormlords was their hatred for the Kingdom of the Reach, specifically the Gardeners. While they could command a large host, the only worthy commanders were summer knights and thus would falter against true warriors. "An army of sheep led by a shadowcat is better than an army of shadowcats led by a sheep" was her father's saying whenever he talked about the Reachmen.

"King Loren said that King Mern wanted his son and heir, Prince Edmund, to marry you, thus uniting the Storm and Reach kingdoms by marriage. The only way for that to be accomplished was if I signed documents with the High Septon's seal that would annul my marriage to you," Orys continued.

Argella gulped and she was tempted to let her skin crawl at the thought of having relations with the flower prince. Orys respected my father and myself, which Edmund Gardener would never if he is any inch like his father.

"And?" Argella knew that there was more to it.

"King Loren said that I signed those annulment documents, he would persuade Queen Regent Sharra Arryn to legitimize me as Orys Targaryen, Lord of Dragonstone. I would swear fealty to the Arryns, who seek to become the new overlords over the Blackwater Bay, and that she would find you a suitable lady to marry. He called it a 'generous deal,' but I interrupted him by spitting him in the face and telling him to go fuck himself."

Argella laughed in amusement. "And he didn't take that well, didn't he?"

Orys held up his left hand, causing Argella to stop laughing. "Here's the proof that even a lion has a temper."

"And all of the suffering that he made you go through was for you to sign those annulment documents?" That seemed a little too far in Argella's mind.

"Should have expected the savagery of the Lannisters. One mistake that I won't make again," Orys put some peas in his mouth.

Argella cursed herself for allowing the Faith to have any say in her wedding ceremony. While she didn't that much affection for Orys when they married, she wanted to know what it was like to have a ceremony in the Valyrian tradition. But she had to be accommodating to her vassals, many of who followed the Faith, and thus allowed for a septon to give his own blessings. However, that put the wedding under the jurisdiction of the Faith and thus allowing the Starry Sept to have a say on whether or not the union could be legal. It was a fact that Loren Lannister clearly tried to manipulate to his advantage, only for Orys to not oblige him. It seems that King Loren is turning out to be an insignificant man in one aspect.

Going back to the Faith, Argella had heard the tales from some of the smallfolk in regards to the Faith's septons going crazy in their "divinely-ordained" punishments. But she took more offense at the Starry Sept daring to interfere in her marriage. When this is all done, I'm cutting off all ties to the Faith. They and their precious Seven have done nothing for me, so I have no more reason to keep allowing them in my lands.

However, Argella still had one more question. "But why didn't sign those documents?" That caught Orys off guard. "You could have saved yourself a lot of pain by doing what he asked and considering that you didn't bed me, no one would have had significant reservations."

Orys blinked, before Argella saw a slightly hurt look in his eyes. "Is that what you have wanted me to do?"

"I am just saying that given the circumstances of our union, there was no reason for you to endure so much pain in resisting King Loren's attempts to have our union annulled." Argella was merely trying to get Orys' real reason, but she felt that she already knew the answer given his actions at Nightsong.

Orys breathed and exhaled before looking softly at Argella. "Yes, I could've done that. And my left hand would still be intact. But I didn't want to do it."

"Why?"

"Cause fuck Loren Lannister, that's why," Orys answered, causing Argella to chortle.

"Okay, but tell me truthfully. Why did you not sign the annulment documents?" Argella needed to know.

"I never expected to marry anyone since I'm a bastard. And I don't know if the gods were playing tricks on me when my father had me marry you, but I knew deep down that things would not be same with you in my life."

Argella turned fully to Orys, not expecting him to say that. "What do you mean?"

Orys took a moment before speaking again. "I could go on and say that you're beautiful, intelligent, and knowledgeable in war and running a kingdom than most would give you credit for. Then again, every lord or person in existence would say such things whenever they meet a beautiful woman."

Argella sighed, as Orys' words brought back memories of when every lordling under her father sought her hand and their attempts to woo her became quite irritating after all.

"I'm not saying that you aren't all of that, because you are," Orys quickly said while trying to prevent any misunderstandings. Argella smiled while gesturing him to continue. "My father said that he became a better man mainly because of his wife, Lady Valaena. She ended his whoring days and made him take his lordly duties more seriously. My father said that a man becomes good on his own, but a man becomes great when he has the right woman by his side. And that's what I believe, Argella."

Argella continued to listen, but she felt herself warm to Orys at that moment.

"If you think I'm trying to flatter you or say sweet nothings, I assure that it's not that. I am better with you, Argella. I no longer feel the need to visit a brothel. I'm sharper, more focused, and clearer on what needs to be done. I would not have got this far if it weren't for you. I might hate the Faith right now, but when I said the words 'till the end of my days', I meant it. Perhaps I feel pure affection for you, but whatever it is, I have no wish to end it," Orys admitted and looked as if a heavy burden was released from his shoulders.

Argella's heart began to melt at Orys' admission. She began to feel strong feelings for him after seeing the Baratheon sigil, which honored both the Durrandons and his Valyrian heritage. Now, he was saying that she made him become a better man. Without thinking, Argella leaned forward and kissed his lips.

Orys was surprised by Argella's audacity, but he closed his eyes as the kiss became deeper. Pulling apart, Argella laid her forehead on his while putting her fingers underneath Orys' chin.

"Haven't told you yet, but you also make me better," Argella whispered.

"Really?"

"I would have never imagined myself with the man who felled my father and no matter his faults, I loved him. However, you never forced yourself on me and you never disparaged his memory. That's when I knew that you were a good man and that maybe, I would have affections for you. Perhaps this is what this is now," Argella breathed.

Orys closed his eyes and exhaled before opening them again. Argella stared into his black eyes and could see a hint of violet in them. Deciding the next natural step, she put the tray on the side and snuggled against Orys' side.

Orys winced slightly. "Careful, Argella. I might be better, but I'm still healing."

"Don't worry, Orys. However, I feel that my embrace might speed up the healing," Argella said against his neck.

"Come on, Argella. I'm your lord husband. Allow me some space," Orys grumbled.

"And I was a queen, if only for a moment, which still outranks you, so you don't tell me what to do," Argella playfully replied.

Orys gave up and relaxed, using his good arm to pull Argella closer to him and take in her scent. "As I said, I won't force you if you don't want it."

"I know," Argella looked up to him. "And we can wait still, but just know that you are mine and mine alone. You made your choice by not signing those documents." Argella then grabbed his left hand, careful as to not cause pain, and kissed it. "And I know that you would rather suffer than let me go."

Orys smiled as Argella ran her hand across his chest, feeling the scars through his tunic and thus more evidence of his care for her.

"When do you reckon we should return to Storm's End?" Orys asked. "We can't stay here forever and we would need to sort our lands."

"We can't stay here forever," Argella confessed. "But let's just take a few moments and get a respite from all this. You just got out of captivity, so you deserve it."

Argella became more affectionate to Orys, seeing his concern for his lands like a proper lord despite his condition. Also, she caught how he said "we", not "I" or "mine." That meant that he truly saw her as his equal and not beneath him.

If he's like this right now, then I don't want to let him go either, Argella thought as she continued to lie beside Orys, silent but enjoying their combined embrace.

* * *

Argella sat next to Orys, but both were uneasy at looking at Konno Haru. She heard tell of the father of the man who helped save Orys from Casterly Rock, especially his brutal training sessions with Rhaenys Targaryen. Being a sworn warrior, sellsword, and finally master assassin from Yi-Ti added to the tension to the four in the solar. Taygor Leniar had arrived to check in on Orys' progress that day and he would be interpreting for Konno Haru, who only spoke High Valyrian and none of the common tongue. Fortunately, Taygor Leniar was able to with a distinct lilt.

"No words can describe my gratitude for your son's sacrifice in rescuing me captivity, and please accept my condolences. No child should have to die before their parents," Orys sincerely offered.

Taygor translated to High Valyrian, which Konno answered while keeping his gaze on Orys and Argella.

"He said that his son died like a warrior and that there was no shame in how he died," Taygor interpreted. "However, he said that his blood has been spilled and thus blood must be repaid."

Orys nodded in understanding. "I understand completely, Master Konno. I too want revenge for what Loren Lannister did to me. We have common cause since we both seek his death."

"He says that you might have two fingers, but he lost his son. Therefore, you don't have any claim to pain compared to mine," Taygor translated.

"Tell him that he best be careful before he emphasizes his losses at the expense of others," Argella defended Orys. "My lord husband was tortured and just because he's alive doesn't make his suffer all the lesser."

Argella looked at Orys, who nodded his thanks.

"He says that with all respect—" Taygor began before Argella interrupted him.

"Please don't say 'with all due respect.' Most of the time, the person saying that means the exact opposite, unless that is his intention," Argella retorted.

Taygor was hesitant before translating what Argella said to Konno, which prompted a small chuckle. "It seems that Master Haru is quite amused by your candor, Lady Argella."

"Please remind me, but how should I address you? You are Lord Jaenyx's cousin, but you don't have a title," Argella forgot their conversation.

"You may address me as Lord Taygor, as I am of noble blood even with my lack of a title. But if you really wish to address me as a landless noble, I would suggest calling me Master Leniar, in which case both titles speak of the considerable emotional distance between us."

Argella blinked. "That's not a very polite way of describing our unfamiliarity with each other."

Taygor shrugged. "I have no wish to get to know you better. Also, it was your father that killed Garaeron Rahitheon, who I knew very well. So, what basis is there for an acquaintance to be formed between us?"

"Then why help me?" Argella was struck at how different this Taygor Leniar was compared to the one who prepared the potions for her.

"As a courtesy to my cousin, since he considers your husband family. And since Lady Visenya finally has a child on the way, it's best that I treat her and your husband in the same manner. But that courtesy does not apply to you."

Argella was slightly bothered at how rude Taygor was to her.

"Taygor, we're getting off track," Orys reoriented the conversation before gesturing to a servant at the side. He took the scroll Orys held out and walked over to Konno Haru, who unrolled it.

"It's a deed," Orys said. "As compensation for your loss and as a gesture of thanks for your family's sacrifice, I am hereby granting you the keep at the mouth of the Wendwater. Notice that my brother and father have stamped their seals to approve the grant. It may be abandoned, but we will provide with the resources and coin necessary to rebuild it into a proper castle. You can give it a new name if you wish."

Konno scoffed as Taygor translated, making Argella slowly become angry at the Yi-Tish man's lack of appreciation for Orys' actions.

"He is asking if you think you can buy him off with a castle," Taygor said to Orys.

"It is nothing like that," Orys emphasized. "There are no conditions to be met, no expectations. This is the least I can do for you family because your son gave his life to save mine. But also understand that I know that there can be no true consolation for the loss of your son."

"He said that it's good that that you think so," Taygor interpreted. "But will he have to swear to you as his liege? Because he might have some problems doing that, considering that you haven't done much to deserve his loyalty."

"You are impertinent, Master Haru," Argella leaned forward on the table.

Taygor was hesitant to translate what Konno said next. "What did he say, Taygor?" Orys asked.

Taygor gulped. "He said, 'Plenty of highborn cunts called me impertinent and those same shits were the ones that benefited from my previous liege's demise. So you'll forgive me if I don't show you what respect you think you are owed just because your ancestors laid an imaginary claim on some land because they could.'"

"What do you mean by 'imaginary claim?'" Argella was clearly offended at Konno disparaging her family.

"'I've read a bit of your history thanks for Jaenyx and Visenya translating some of the works for me. You think Durran Godsgrief got his claim on Storm's End because he asked nicely? He killed and forced his way onto the lands your family staked their claim on. What is nobility but thugs who just happened to kill the right people and were lucky to have ended up in the right place?"

Argella felt her hand tighten into a fist, but she felt Orys calm her down by placing a hand on her arm. However, he had words to say to Konno's incessant insults.

"Now, Master Haru, I don't know what has prompted such personal attacks from you," Orys said. "But as I said, there is nothing attached to the castle I now grant to you and your family. You will not swear loyalty to me as your overlord and you may continue being loyal to Jaenyx. The castle is located between the lands surrounding the Blackwater Bay and the stormlands, so no one can say that you swear allegiance to one or the other."

"'And as I said to you, Lord Baratheon, you may keep your castle. There is only price that I will find acceptable for my loss.'"

"And what would that be?"

"'I want Loren Lannister's head. But first, I shall kill every Lannister that I can get my hands on. I will strange his sons before his very eyes before I cut off his head, tie it to my horse's tail, and let the shit defile him even in death. That is my only price and once I have that, I will consider your debt to my family paid."

Argella was inclined to agree to the terms, if not for how disrespectful Konno was just moments ago.

"I'm afraid that there is a line to what you're asking for, Master Haru," Orys held up his left hand. "Loren Lannister tortured me and cut across my body. I have as much claim to his head as you do."

"But regarding the caste," Argella pulled out the deed and laid it on the table. "It is now yours. You can keep it or sell it. Do what you want with it. It is not longer our concern."

Orys silently thanked her for finishing that issue up cleanly. Or at the very least make the conclusion final.

"And you want me to be a lord?" Konno asked with some disdain.

"I know that you have a very low opinion on nobility, Master Haru," Argella said. "But in Westeros, the only voices that matter are from ones that hold a title. As unfortunate as it is, no one will give you any regard if you are just Konno Haru. And I can tell that nobility is also highly-regarded in Yi-Ti, so in regards to those that wronged you, you have to admit that they held power that you could never have had in your current station."

Konno continued to listen, prompting Argella on.

"If not for yourself," Argella decided to switch direction. "Then think about your son. You might not care for yourself, but what about him? It's evident that there is no practical reason for him to go back to Yi-Ti and that he and whatever children will have will stay here in Westeros. And I know that you love your son, because how can you explain your hatred for Loren Lannister for killing your eldest?"

Konno blinked. Now we're getting somewhere.

"It seems we're now talking about the meaning of lordships," Konno remarked slightly.

"Practically everyone in Westeros will have heard of what your family did after Casterly Rock," Argella continued. "You have the potential to start a new house, a new line, here in Westeros. People will only start caring after you take on a title and lands of your own, and what you've brought from Yi-Ti might live on in your descendants."

"And confine myself to a set of rules that will suffocate me and my son," Konno stated.

"We are all confined in one way or another, Master Haru," Argella responded. "I'm a woman, so I fully know what it means to have limits placed on you. But nobody will respect you if you have nothing."

"Besides, 'Lord Konno Haru' does have a good ring to it," Orys quipped.

"So, don't consider this castle as your possession," Argella said. "Consider it a start for your family. I won't deny that my ancestor Durran Godsgrief might have done questionable things while building Storm's End up from the ground, but from that point on, the Durrandons steadily rose in power before obtaining crowns. Maybe a crown is not in your future, Master Haru, but your son could bring your line to new heights. Great families have to start from somewhere."

"If Kenzou is anything like you, Master Haru, then your family will be in good hands," Orys added.

"But as we said, sell the castle or keep it. It's your choice, but think about what will happen to your family after you're gone," Argella leaned back in her chair. "As I learned from my father, the only thing that lives on is the family name or the memory. What do you wish for your family remembered for?"

"And you think that this castle will put my family in a good station?" Konno asked.

"Maybe, or maybe not," Argella admitted. "But the choice is up to you and families don't start out of nowhere."

Konno reached for the deed across the table and unrolled the deed before passing it on to Taygor, who read it for him.

"I'm a foreigner," Konno explained. "This continent will not accept me or my family."

"If you think about it," Orys answered. "This continent is full of foreigners. The First Men, the Andals, the Rhoynar, and now the Valyrians. As you pointed out, the lords who now hold power in Westeros did not ask nicely. And I know that being nice is not among your natural abilities, so you should do fine."

"So now what?" Konno put the deed in his robes.

"Your choice… my lord," Argella addressed Konno in regards to his new station for the first time.

Before the moment could sink in, a servant came up to Orys and Argella.

"Lord and Lady Baratheon, Lord Aegon is asking you to join the war council if you're able," the servant whispered.

Argella looked at Taygor and Lord Konno, who also had a servant whisper the same thing.

As Taygor and Konno, now holding a lordship as per the deed, Argella helped Orys up.

"You think you could swing Thunderfist anytime soon?" Argella asked.

"You better believe it," Orys slowly stood up.

"You better. Otherwise, I might have to take it from you and do the fighting myself," Argella jested.

"Won't stop you from doing that," Orys shrugged. "But first, I must have words with the stormlords and let them know who is in charge."

"Don't they know that already?"

"Apparently, they don't. Nobody gives my lady wife trouble without me knowing about it," Orys declared.

Argella smiled while kissing his cheek. "Let's teach them some manners then."

Orys nodded as they walked towards where the war council would be.

**A/N: I hope that I portrayed well Argella's and Orys' relationship getting closer. As evidenced, he never forced himself on her or made her feel small and now he just admitted that he's better with her. It's only natural that Argella would reciprocate such feelings and her treating Orys while he's healing only makes it a definitive (Nightingale effect and all that). **

**And the conversation between Konno and Argella/Orys became very interesting as I wrote it, because they are discussing the meaning behind nobility. Both sides are right, which only adds to the layers of their verbal exchange. Orys will be indebted to the Harus forever because of Arata and now Konno is a lord, albeit a minor one now but can grow into a powerful one given time. **

**Next, the dragons' army will fight back!**


	37. Aegon VIII

**A/N: We're almost to an important turning point in the Conquest. Just hold on! **

AEGON VIII

Aegon, Rhaenys, Jaenyx, Visenya, Orys, and Argella presided over their war council at Duskendale, in which the lords that remained loyal to them gathered. Much of the stormlords arrived to see their lord paramount alive and in good health, but Orys made clear of his displeasure at what he saw as near insubordination during his absence. He took lords such as Morrigen, Connington, Estermont, and Wylde into a private chamber and Aegon heard him scolding them in a fiery passion.

"I am your lord paramount, but you disrespected my wife and grumbled while she made sure that we still had an army to command! This is nothing but disobedience to the house that you've sworn to and had you all been bolder, I would have hung you all for mutiny!" Aegon heard Orys yell. Judging from the lack of responses, the lords were stunned into silence as they were now reminded of who was in charge and the man that killed their king. "I entrusted you all to stay faithful to my house and to our common cause, but the moment I am not around, you scheme like you've always done!"

Aegon should've been surprised at the sudden change in his brother's demeanor, but considering his time in captivity and the responsibilities on his shoulders as a lord, it was only a matter of time before Orys took his duties as a major lord seriously. And it put a smile on Aegon's face seeing how close his brother had become with Argella, the daughter of the man he killed but never disrespected.

"If I hear of one more instance of you conspiring against my wife or myself, I will do much worse to you what I've done to the Tarlys and Peakes and what I intend to do with Loren Lannister. And that is a promise! I have no doubts that my brothers and sisters would help me with their dragons, but rest assured, my hammer will be enough for me to drive home the point. Is that clear?" Orys warned.

"Yes, my lord," the lords slowly affirmed.

"Stop mumbling!" Orys was not having their half-hearted apologies. "Am I clear?"

"Yes, my lord," the lords said, louder and straighter that time.

Aegon nodded in approval. Had their father seen how Orys acted, he would have been proud. He was certainly proud of how Rhaenys dealt with the Lords Rosby, Stokeworth, Bar Emmon, Massey, and Darklyn when they came to the council after their moment of cowardice.

Aegon and Aerion watched from a distance as Rhaenys stroked Meraxes' snout and fed her bits of dead cows. "So, you've showed up after demonstrating your cravenness," Rhaenys went straight to the point. After what Orys had went through and the lords not being cooperative, she was not going to waste time with pleasantries.

"You have to understand our position—" Lord Rosby began.

Rhaenys rolled her eyes as she cut him off. "If you offer that excuse one more time, I will have Meraxes burn you where you stand. Should I repeat that, my lord?"

Jon Rosby's silence was all that she needed.

"You're all fortunate that you're dealing with me instead of my husband, my sister, and my good-brother. All of them would have let the men you struck finish what you started or personally burned you right here, but I am a more… lenient sort. I temper my husband's fire, which would see much unintended damage should he direct it at the wrong people. However, he makes me strong and that's what I have learned from the moment that our family stepped foot on this land," Rhaenys fed Meraxes a cow leg.

The lords from all around the Blackwater Bay gulped at how… calm she sounded as she continued to feed her silver-scaled creature.

"Our enemies have revealed their weaknesses. We have just entered into a pact with the Starks of Winterfell, who have just defeated the Valemen at Seaguard and have passed Oldstones. It won't be long before they reach Fairmarket," Rhaenys told them.

The lords looked at each other in astonishment, not expecting help from an unlikely source.

"As for Orys, my sister and good-brother proved that Casterly Rock is not impenetrable and were able to fly him out of there in good order. Such a move would no doubt hurt the pride of the Lannisters, wouldn't you agree?"

Aegon and Aerion watched Rhaenys as the lords remained silent, with their father looking more impressed.

"With the northmen coming southwards and the stormlords back in line, our position has improved. Considering your proximity to Dragonstone, it would be in all of your best interests should you not attempt to be unfaithful to our house again," Rhaenys smiled at Meraxes, who snorted in appreciation but made the lord uncomfortable at how she acted around such a creature they were never made to stand close to.

"Whether you stay loyal to us or not is up to you, but I would regret it if our dragons would have start consuming the flesh of people instead of animal flesh," Rhaenys pressed her forehead on Meraxes' snout, prompting her to exhale warm breath on her rider.

Lord Darklyn stepped forward. "My lady, you have our word that—"

Rhaenys held up a finger while still focused on Meraxes. "I am not interested in what you have to say now, my lord. I'm more interested in your actions, as I have come to learn that they speak louder than empty promises. Should you resume your faithful service to my house and stand by us in our common cause, then we can discuss proper rewards to your house."

"Rewards?" Lord Darklyn asked, surprised.

Rhaenys smirked. "But if you suddenly have the urge to act… contrary to our wishes, I can only hope that you make an excellent meal for our dragons."

That silenced Lord Darklyn and the others, who dipped their heads and made their way to the great hall at Duskendale.

"Your sister and wife is becoming quite the political mind," Aerion nodded with approval.

"I'm not sure if threatening lords with Meraxes is good politics," Aegon responded, but instantly regretted it.

"Come now, Egg," Aerion turned to Aegon. "What you just saw was your sister and wife promising rewards for good service along with the promise of severe punishment should they act against us. She's going to be very useful by your side as the Lady of Dragonstone."

"And soon-to-be Queen," Aegon pointed out.

Aerion patted his hand on Aegon's shoulder. "We'll get to that soon. Now let's go see your other sister and her husband."

As Aegon walked through Duskendale, he couldn't help but be… more attracted to his sister and wife the more he thought about her demonstration with Meraxes. She didn't shout like Orys, but given how she promised consequences while maintaining her easy demeanor, her calmness made her promises just as potent as Orys' loudness.

Coming to Jaenyx's and Visenya's chambers, Aegon expected that they were fucking like they would usually do whenever they had free time. However, he and their father were surprised to not see them there. Walking to the solar, they heard talking and there were more than two people from the sounds of it.

Entering the solar, Aegon was surprised to see Visenya, Kenzou Haru, Ragaemor Tarareon, and Chrass Rivers gathered around a map, which prominently showed the Red Fork.

"Where's Jae?" Aegon asked.

"Oh, he went scouting on Cloudwynd. He'll be back soon," Visenya answered.

"Why?"

"Lord Aegon, we have a plan that we think could begin to turn the tide in the riverlands," Chrass Rivers responded.

"I'm listening," Aegon and Aerion walked to the table with the map.

"Okay, so here's the situation right now," Visenya placed markers that indicated theirs and the enemy's troops. "Raventree Hall is besieged by the Lannister bannermen along with the riverlander turncoats while the Red Fork is largely within their control. The northmen are currently marching southwards and will be in striking distance with Fairmarket by the week's end. Meanwhile, a large portion of the Valemen who were defeated at Seaguard was able to retreat across the Green Fork while some turned southwards towards the Blackwood Vale."

"All right," Aegon nodded.

"However, Jae's agents in the region told him that there was a place where we could exploit our enemy's weaknesses and begin to drive them out of the riverlands," Visenya continued.

"What do you mean?" Aegon became interested.

"This place here, where the Red Fork bends," Chrass River pointed the spot on the map. "There's an encampment of enemy soldiers there. These troops serve as both the rearguard of the ones sieging Raventree Hall and the advance guard to Riverrun. And this place on the Red Fork is a vital point on the river after Riverrun since it allows the enemy to maintain their lines with Fairmarket and previously the Twins, which is more important now given the northmen."

"And you're suggesting that we attack that encampment," Aegon finished.

"It's won't be that much difficult to accomplish," Visenya reasoned. "It has no fortifications and with those troops eliminated, then we could move to retake the Red Fork, relieve Raventree Hall, and finally punish the Tullys for their betrayal. This is an opportunity that we must seize, Egg."

"But you're forgetting one important aspect of this," Aegon countered as he pointed on the map. "This place is deep behind enemy lines and they're not just going to let us march over there and take such an important choke point. Even with the stormlords now back on our side, we still don't have the strength to conduct a major attack until the northmen arrive."

"That could take too long, Egg," Visenya shook her head. "The Starks bring numbers, but while they advance, our enemies can plan their countermoves and thus stop them. We have to act now if we are going to exploit our recent successes."

"I agree," Aegon nodded. "But we would need to move thousands of men along the Red Fork to strike at the encampment. We'll be surrounded by enemies and turncoats alike."

"Maybe we don't need thousands, my lord," Chrass Rivers said. "Just a force large enough to hit the encampment and light enough to move quickly on the river."

"Wait. On the river?" Aegon did not expect that.

"We plan to use boats to row on the Red Fork towards the encampment," Visenya revealed. "We'd move faster that way and strike where they least expect it."

"But how are we going to conceal such movements?" Aegon questioned.

"We… give… bad… information… to… enemy," Kenzou Haru said slowly while using a broken form of the common tongue.

"How?" Aegon knew that this was probably another of Jaenyx's schemes.

"Jae is flying on Cloudwynd to scout out the encampment," Visenya replied. "However, once he confirms their location, he will them burn some land nearby Fairmarket and spent some time flying over that place. That will make the enemy think that we intend to consolidate our forces with the northmen at that town and thus, they would respond accordingly by sending troops to reinforce that place."

"While leaving their troops near Raventree Hall and Riverrun exposed," Aegon finally understood.

"Exactly," Visenya smiled. "Loren Lannister might suspect something, so to sway him, I and Rhaenys will fly to Fairmarket along with Tarareon cavalry and Darry men. Meanwhile, our true advance, comprising of our own men, the Harus, and the troops who came with Chrass will row along the Red Fork, concealing their movements by rowing only at night. But considering what day is coming, we expect their guard to be down."

"Their guard to be down?" Aegon questioned.

"Ah," Aerion nodded his head. "The day you are thinking to attack is the Smith's Day and there will be plenty of drinking and celebration among the troops of that encampment, making the attack easier to carry out."

"Very true, kepa," Visenya nodded back.

Aegon finally saw the strategic mind of his sister in the light again. While Rhaenys learned much over the past year, Visenya was the one who continued to come up with creative battle plans like at the Wailing Willows. Attacking troops while they were celebrating one of the Faith's most revered holy days would have been met with condemnation, but then again, the Faith wanted to wipe them out and so they couldn't care about what they thought.

"And you came up with this all by yourself?" Aegon asked his older sister.

"Well, Jae made me aware of the enemy encampment and told me that we should employ deception to decimate them, but the rest he left up to me," Visenya smiled.

_By the gods, they really do complement each other, _Aegon thought happily about his sister and her husband. It was a thought that he had repeatedly, but here was the result of such a strong partnership with each other. Not only were they passionate bedmates, they had a collaboration that most couples could only dream of having. Aegon was fortunate to have Rhaenys by his side, and Orys with Argella. _The six of us are about to change Westeros. _

"But for this to work, we have to conceal our true intentions from our own troops," Visenya stated.

"That won't be a problem, my lady," Ragaemor replied in High Valyrian. "Just ensure that everyone knows their parts, but nothing more. The bigger picture should be left for us commanders."

Aegon nodded. "Right. When shall we commence the attack?"

"We have to arrive at the encampment either in the evening of or the dawn after Smith's Day, so we have to move out within four days," Visenya explained.

"Remind me again," Aerion spoke. "Why can't we just burn that encampment with the dragons?"

"Kepa, we can do that," Visenya looked hard at their father. "However, we use our dragons too often, our enemies would assume that the only reason that we won was because of them. We have to show them and the ones sworn to us that we can win on our own. And the best way to remind them is this plan that we have formed."

"I agree to this plan," Aegon bobbed his head.

Aerion looked at the map before nodding. "As do I,"

"Good," Visenya grabbed onto the pommel of Dark Sister. "Let's show them how dragons truly fight."

* * *

Aegon flew above on Balerion as he looked upon the Red Fork. Dawn was setting upon the riverlands as the new day started, but he knew that there was no time to rest or enjoy the start of the morning. He had to be alert for what was to come.

For the past four days, the force of one thousand Blackwoods, Harus, Velaryon men who knew how to navigate the river, and Rahitheon footmen rowed under the cover of night to avoid enemy scouts. The Harus and Blackwoods naturally led in front, the former because they knew how to keep quiet on rivers besides many other places and the latter because they knew the layout well. Chrass Rives and the Blackwoods had more reason to strike at the encampment, as success on their part would mean the start of the rescue of their home.

Much of the army remained either at Duskendale or had consolidated at Harrenhal, also to keep up the pretense that they were aiming for Fairmarket. As planned, Rhaenys and Visenya flew to link up with the northmen and inform Brandon Snow of the developments.

As for Jaenyx, Aegon saw Cloudwynd flying lower to the ground but was careful not to have the blue dragon flap her wings. If there was one sound that the enemy could recognize from the ground, it was dragon wings flapping. He looked at his good-brother and saw him as calm as he usually was during battle, which continued to be a testament to his level-headedness in the most stressful circumstances. A year ago, Aegon would have been unnerved at how… detached he was, but the time he spent with Jaenyx and hearing of him and Orys coming to terms with one another made Aegon see that his good-brother had "a method to madness," although one would have been hard-pressed to call Jaenyx mad.

Orys wanted to fight, but the family and Argella told him that he was still too weak to engage in combat and he needed more rest. In the meantime, Orys could organize the army at Harrenhal for the push into the riverlands. Once the encampment was taken out, Aegon would fly back to Harrenhal, assume control of the forces assembled there, and begin the march. Afterwards, Rhaenys and Visenya would arrive with Brandon Snow, Torrhen Stark, and the northmen from Fairmarket, which would easy to take given their numbers and dragons, and link up with most of the forces at Raventree Hall. Meanwhile, Jaenyx would take enough troops to march on Riverrun and punish the Tullys for their betrayal. _Riverrun will have a new lord before the year is out. But to whom shall it go to?_

That was one of the issues that Aegon had in his mind. While a few houses in the riverlands such as the Darrys, the Blackwoods, and the Malisters remained faithful, many others did not and their keeps would have need for new overlords. The Twins would go to a Northern house, as stipulated in the terms with the Starks. Stone Hedge was demolished, but the castle could easily be rebuilt and the Blackwoods would be rewarded with their lands. Riverrun was trickier, as there would be no other houses besides the ones that the dragons would already reward and there had to be a limit to how much they received. Aegon decided that Riverrun would remain in their personal custody until the matter on the new overlord was settled.

Going back to the battle at hand and courtesy of the early dawn hours, Aegon saw that the first boats carrying the Haru and Blackwood men had reached the northern shore of the Red Fork, close enough to move on the enemy encampment. Looking more closely at the location, it was a collection of tents that could house five thousand men form what Aegon estimated. However, there were no natural barriers protecting the camp from attack, no sufficient fortifications around the tents, and no guards on duty. Given that Smith Day celebrations were enough to put any to drunkenness, there was no reason to doubt that it would have the same effects on soldiers, especially those who were pious and serving the wishes of the High Septon.

But what equally offended Aegon was how… lax their enemies were in this place. Even with a major holy day, they were still at war and thus could not afford to let their guard down. It was as if they assumed that the war was already won and that they could take the time to drown their worries in ale, good food, and possibly women. _We were at ease before and now they will see the results of becoming complacent. _

Aegon looked again at Jaenyx, who was pointing downwards. Urging Balerion to bank his wings right, he could see that the first Haru and Blackwood men and reach the outer perimeter of the camp, if they could call it that. He could make out two corpses lying on the ground dead and the nearest tent slowly catching fire.

_That's the signal! _Aegon and Jaenyx exchanged nods before diving downwards and separating to fly opposite arcs around the camp. Once the signal was given, that was when Balerion and Cloudwynd would make their presence known before Aegon and Jaenyx joined the troops on the ground.

"Dracarys!" Aegon yelled out to Balerion. Black flames darkened the morning rays as an arc of fire ran from the north down to the west. Pulling Balerion up, he saw Cloudwynd dive down also and releasing blue fire from the south to the west, linking with the black fire arc and thereby cutting off all escape routes for the enemy and separating them from the army surrounding Raventree Hall.

Aegon circled around Jaenyx for a second time as they adjusted their dragons towards the southern edge of the enemy camp, a small hill to be exact which still held a commanding view of the target.

Grasping Blackfyre in his hand while Flame Screecher was strapped to his back, Aegon slid off Balerion after he landed on the hill. _Get in the air, Balerion. If you see more enemy troops coming, roar and then come back down to get me. _

_Got it,_ Aegon heard Balerion affirm before he flew back in the air. Jaenyx soon joined Aegon, Seablaze and his dagger drawn.

Walking together up the hill, they saw chaos break out in the enemy camp. Horns were blaring and bells were ringing, all adding the confusion of the troops who were disturbed from their festive slumber. They made out the banners of houses such as the sunbursts of the Kennings of Kayce, the ships of the Farmans of Faircastle, the peacock of the Serretts of Silverhill, and the black hooded man of the Baneforts. In addition, they could make out the banners of riverlander houses such as the Pipers, the Vances, and Smallwoods.

"Not the type of troops that I would entrust a chokepoint with," Aegon observed. He knew among the houses sworn to the King of the Rock, the Farmans, Serrets, and Baneforts were among those that contributed troops occupying the step below more capable houses such as the Crakehalls, the Marbrands, and the Reynes. As for the riverlander houses he could see, they largely presented no match for the houses such as the Brackens.

"Looks like the more able men are engaged elsewhere," Jaenyx looked the camp over.

"Still, five thousand men is a number that we cannot ignore. We break this army, the path to the Blackwood Vale and to Riverrun will be open to us. After we relieve Lord Blackwood and seize Riverrun, the rest of the region will follow," Aegon explained.

"Exactly," Jaenyx concurred.

As more screams could be heard, Aegon saw Kenzou Haru and a Blackwood man run to the hill. Kenzou ran up to Jaenyx before giving a nod to Aegon.

"Jaenyx, we've sowed confusion in the camp. All of them were too drunken to respond effectively but we're still outnumbered," Kenzou spoke in High Valyrian.

"That shouldn't be a problem," Jaenyx answered. "We cut their escape off in the north, west, and south and given that all of them are still trying to come to after a night of heavy feasting and drinking, we have a chance to break them. If the worse happens, we can call the dragons down for help."

"Understood," Kenzou nodded.

"Lord Aegon," the Blackwood man addressed him. "Lord Rivers has about two hundred men still in proper order. He requests advice, my lord."

Aegon took a look at the camp again before pointing with his hand. "Their entire right flank is engulfed in flames, so we have to roll up their left flank. Tell Lord Rivers to take his two hundred men and sweep eastwards and then wheeling around to deal with the rest of their camp."

"Yes, my lord," the Blackwood man bowed before running back into the fray.

"As for you, Kenzou, move like lightning through the center of the camp. Keep torching their tents and slash at any man still not wearing their trousers. Also, make sure that none of our men engage in looting until after the battle is done," Jaenyx ordered Kenzou.

"Will do, Jaenyx," Kenzou dipped his head before running back to the camp.

"Let's not keep them waiting any longer. Ready for the fight, Egg?" Jaenyx asked in High Valyrian. Even though Aegon was glad that his good-brother was being more considerate by speaking in the common tongue more often, he had to admit that there was something special whenever he heard something from the days of Valyria be spoken aloud.

"Always, Jae," Aegon managed in his best High Valyrian, prompting a toothy grin from his good-brother.

Striding down the hill with Blackfyre drawn, Aegon slashed at the first man that charged him, a footman wearing the Serret colors. The Valyrian steel blade cut through the gambeson and left a deep gash in his torso. He almost missed another attempting to stick him with a spear, but slid to the left while parrying the shaft with Blackfyre. Aegon finished that spearman off with a slice across his neck, lopping his head clean off.

Aegon glanced to Jaenyx, who was fighting off three men at the same time. _Why does he keep doing that? _He knew that Jaenyx was more than capable of handling multiple opponents at the same time just like him, but it was taxing on the body and divided one's focus at critical moments. Sighing, he walked over to Jaenyx and stabbed one of his attackers in the back, the sharp point piercing through his body and exiting through the skin on the front side. Meanwhile, Jaenyx blocked one's axe with his dagger while spinning around and cutting across both of their bellies.

Jaenyx looked at Aegon and then the one he stabbed. "I had it covered, Egg."

"I know you did," Aegon patted him on the shoulder. "Just wanted to make things easier for you."

Jaenyx chuckled. "How considerate of you. Come on."

Aegon followed Jaenyx through the camp, where he could see more chaos spreading but the enemy were beginning to organize more effectively and forming ranks. Fires were spreading to more of the tents, but the enemy began fighting back more fiercely as they grabbed onto whatever swords, axes, or pikes they could get hands on. Horns were blaring throughout the camp to lift the troops' spirits and have them get into formation. Thankfully, none of their men were looting the enemy tents as would normally happen, since every moment counted towards destroying this force.

Aegon then saw a mounted knight charge towards him and Jaenyx. Eyes widening in alarm, he scrambled into his fighting stance, held up Blackfyre, and waited for the onslaught.

With his lance down and him having superior speed due to his horse, the mounted knight saw the grounded Aegon as an easy target, a severe mistake on his part. Nimbly, he crouched to his knees, dodging the lance. Blackfyre sliced clean through the horse's legs, sending it and the rider toppling to the ground in sickening crunches of bone. Aegon continued forward, where a few other Blackwood men joined him.

"My lord," one of the Blackwood men dipped his head. "We've pushed the enemy back to their command tent, but resistance is getting more organized."

"We push on," Aegon urged. "We destroy this camp, then the path to your home will be open. We cannot stop now."

"But my lord, we are still one thousand against possibly four," another Blackwood man joined in.

"That may be true, but it's a chance we have to take," Aegon exhorted. "The Red Fork must be forced open, or we won't advance further than we have."

Aegon continued to push through the camp, slashing and stabbing along the way. Finally, he came upon the command tent, which had the Kayce banner flying above it. _At least they don't leave turncoats in charge._ However, there were probably at least one hundred men-at-arms in shield formation, pikes down and shields raised.

Before Aegon could decide on the next move, the enemy decided to press their attack by advancing forward, their spears just waiting to pierce their flesh. He could hear an officer yelled "Forward! Advance! Advance!", as his troops began to move, with a horn blaring to help their spirits.

Aegon prepared himself to face the shield formation, as did the other men who readied their swords and axes. But luckily, black-clothed men struck them on the sides before they could make contact and thus avoiding a difficult fight.

Aegon charged forward, using Blackfyre to slice away spears as he used his momentum to charge through an opening in the shield wall. Other Blackwood men were quick to exploit that opening and the men of the Rock dropped their shields as their formation unraveled.

Aegon stabbed at a man-at-arms, going for the place that exposed his waist, before pushing him off the blade. He then parried another's sword strike before kicking beneath him and finishing him with a downward thrust into his heart. However, enemy troops were scattering and were fleeing from the camp. Aegon called out to Balerion through their bond. _Chase them down. Burn any who might make it to their friends northwards or westwards. _

_Understood,_ Balerion responded as Aegon saw his dragon fly in pursuit and unleash more of his black flames on the retreating troops.

As Aegon approached the command tent after the spearmen were taken care of, a man emerged from the tent, dressed in his best armor. But he had his helm off of his head and his sword not raised.

"Enough!" the man ordered what was left of his command, which caught their attention. He turned to Aegon. "I am Ser Norret Serret, second son of Lord Serret and commander of this camp. To whom shall I address?"

Aegon and Jaenyx stepped forward. "You'll be speaking to us, Ser Norret. I am Aegon Targaryen and this is my good-brother, Jaenyx Belaerys."

Ser Norret recognized their names. "The victor at Rook's Rest and the one who rescued Lord Baratheon from Casterly Rock."

"Word spreads quickly," Jaenyx remarked.

"Indeed it does, my lord. Now enough blood has been spilled but I know that the battle is lost. Therefore, on behalf of the troops still alive, I yield and surrender myself into your custody." Ser Norret then held out his sword to Aegon. "Please accept this as my surrender, Lord Aegon. It is better to drop it so disrespectfully on the ground."

Aegon looked to Jaenyx, who nodded his assent, before he took the blade from Ser Norret's hands. "On behalf of House Targaryen, I accept your surrender. Tell your men to gather their weapons and drop them at a place set by Chrass Rivers and arrange yourselves for the journey eastwards to the Blackwater Bay."

Ser Norret bowed his head. "Yes, my lord."

"But before you do," Jaenyx stopped him. "I have some questions to ask you."

"Of course, my lord."

By some miracle, the Blackwoods, Harus, Velaryons, and Rahitheons only lost thirty men combined with dozens more wounded. However, out of five thousand enemy troops, only one thousand were seen alive, many due to the surprise attack in the early morning and to dragonfire.

Chrass Rivers began sending scouting parties into the Blackwood Vale, anxious for reports on Raventree Hall, while the Velaryons began to transport their loot and captured supplies on boats back east on the Red Fork to also inform the army at Harrenhal that it was time to advance. The Harus and Rahitheons established a perimeter around the remains of the camp while keeping a tight leash on the prisoners, who were gradually carried off on the Velaryon riverboats.

As for Aegon, he sat in the enemy's command tent while Jaenyx asked questions to Ser Norret regarding the enemy presence in the remainder of the riverlands. As Ser Norret surrendered peacefully, he was not bound and only had to take off his armor.

"And you say that eight thousand men currently besiege Raventree Hall, from houses such as Crakehall and Marbrand besides the Brackens and siege equipment?" Jaenyx wrote down on parchment.

"Yes, my lord. But we haven't had much success storming the castle since their garrison is half the number surrounding them. It didn't help our chances that the Brackens were with us, meaning that they will never surrender," Ser Norret explained.

"Of course they wouldn't. And what about the troops southwards and westwards of Riverrun? What is their count and composition?" Jaenyx continued.

"The Tullys hold Riverrun, which is the lynchpin for the entire army sword to King Loren in the Riverlands. If the fortress falls, then the rest follows."

"As we expected," Aegon joined in. "But how many are we facing?"

"One thousand Tully men in and around Riverrun and more alongside turncoat rivermen to their west. The Reynes and Westerlings are positioned further westwards, both of whom provide fourteen thousand men."

Jaenyx nodded. "Okay. That's all we needed to know. Kenzou here will escort you to your new quarters."

Ser Norret bobbed his head while Kenzou pushed him out of the tent.

"Fifteen thousand men, give or take," Aegon thought aloud.

"That's why we must relieve the Blackwoods. Once we have their men back in the field, taking Riverrun should be a relatively straightforward process," Jaenyx pointed out.

"Agreed." Seeing Jaenyx organize the parchment containing the new information, Aegon had to ask. "You're pretty good at this, getting information I mean."

"One of the things Sensei Konno taught me," Jaenyx folded the parchments and put them inside his tunic.

"Maybe when things are more… organized, I would like for you to be our lead man in all information gathering," Aegon said.

"Am I am not doing that already?" Jaenyx snorted.

"Brandon Snow said that me and Rhaenys will be rulers with crowns, and then you and Visenya. However, there are things that I cannot do and thus will need all the help I can get," Aegon admitted.

Jaenyx grinned. "Of course, Egg."

"And may I ask a favor of you?" Aegon wanted to get it out as much as he could.

"Sure."

"When the time comes, I would like for you to place the crown on my head." That, Jaenyx did not expect. "It will unify the Valyrians under us and show them that you are not subservient to us. Plus, it's only fair that the man who gave my big sister happiness be the one to do it."

Jaenyx took a moment to look at Aegon in his eyes before clasping his shoulders. "I'd be more than happy to."

Aegon smiled widely. "And when the time for you and Vis, I shall be happy to return the favor by putting a crown on your head. But I hope that being a prince will be enough for now."

"More than enough," Jaenyx pulled him for a hug. "Thanks, Egg."

Aegon returned the hug. "You're family. The least I can do."

A Rahitheon man entered the tent. "Oh. I am sorry, my lords. I didn't mean to interrupt—"

"It's all right," Jaenyx spoke in High Valyrian. "What is it?"

"We've got scouts coming our way. They're bearing the sigil of some white sun."

_White sun… House Karstark? _"Take us to them," Jaenyx ordered the Rahitheon man.

Aegon and Jaenyx walked to the edge of the camp, where there was indeed a party of scouts coming. There were ten men mounted on horseback, but from their armor, their helmets, and their rough appearances, Aegon knew that they were northmen.

Leading them was a man who might have passed thirty years, with his bushy black beard and hair mixed with a little white. But Aegon quickly recognized the warrior air that came off of him, as did the air of nobility from this man. He had seen it before in Larence Karstark.

"Good to see you again, Lord Karstark," Aegon greeted.

"Likewise, Lord Aegon," Lord Karstark dismounted his horse.

"With respect, but why are you here? We'd assume you'll still be with Torrhen Stark and the main army," Jaenyx addressed him.

"After we met Ladies Rhaenys and Visenya, King Torrhen wanted to see if we could link up with your army as quickly as possible. I wanted to join the scouts because I wanted to form my own relationship with you two," Lord Karstark answered.

"Well, we're glad for your presence nonetheless," Aegon gestured him to follow them.

"So, my lords, what are your plans for Raventree Hall? I'd assume that is where you will strike next," Lord Karstark inquired.

"Come inside the tent and we'll discuss it in detail," Jaenyx responded.

**A/N: The battle was inspired by Trenton (1776) and Vlad's Night Attack at Targoviste against the Ottomans (1462). There had to be a lot of misdirection for their plan to work, so I hoped I made that clear.  
**

**As for Aegon and Jaenyx, they now made a promise to each other and they shall keep it. We shall see our dragons rule over all, but with a firm type of benevolence. They'll be better than the rulers that came before them, but they will not be complacent. **

**Next, the beginning of the end for the Faith in the riverlands. **


	38. Rhaenys VIII

**A/N: Been busy with the rough adjustments to virtual courses. but I will stick with my update schedule. Continue to stay safe and let's flatten the curve like New Zealand is doing it. **

RHAENYS VIII

Rhaenys walked alongside Brandon outside of the perimeter of the northmen encampment, close enough where the sentries would be able to assist them should they need help but far enough for them to be able to have a word in private. Meraxes and Vhagar were flying above them, circling each other as they kept their spirits up for the battle ahead.

"You have confidence in the battle ahead, Lady Rhaenys?" Brandon asked.

"I do," she replied. "We've linked up with my husband and good-brother and all we need to do is relieve Raventree Hall from the Lannisters and turncoats."

Brandon nodded. "Yes, those two worked wonders just weeks ago. Who knows what else they can do with a united front at the hall of the Blackwoods?"

Rhaenys thought dreamily on her husband. "Yes… there's not much that Aegon cannot do. With Balerion on his side and two Valyrian steel swords, he can do much. With Jaenyx and Orys at his side when he's finally recovered, the three of them shall be unstoppable."

"But we're only talking about the men," Brandon pointed out. "What your sister and Lady Argella?"

Rhaenys smiled. "Visenya is strong on her own, but it is Jaenyx that makes tempers her and makes her whole. As for Lady Argella, she might not know how to wield arms, but she doesn't need to since her mind is the only weapon she needs. Orys is in good hands with her at his side."

"Hmmm," Brandon let out. "Three couples about to change the fabric of Westeros. That'll be one for the songs."

Rhaenys chuckled. "Don't get started with me, Lord Snow. You might give me ideas and I will say to all that you inspired them."

Brandon clasped his hands behind his back. "So, I ask you to be honest with me, Lady Rhaenys. What did you think of my words of you, your husband, and your siblings being rulers in your own right?"

Rhaenys sighed lightly. "I honestly was surprised. I never thought about wearing a crown on my head, even though the great stories are filled with people who wore them. Even in Valyria, there may have been dragonlord families more powerful than others such as Jaenyx's, but no one was a king or queen. But given the situation that we're all in, it might not necessarily be a bad thing. The Faith wants to wipe us out, so we should start asserting our own authority."

"Well said," Brandon told her.

Rhaenys then decided to ask him on why he had decided to withhold Meraxes' fate in the other reality. "May I ask you something, Lord Snow?"

"Of course."

"At Widow's Watch, you told us what happened to Vhagar, in that she killed another dragon and that both of the riders were Targaryens. Now, that information will spook any family, especially if the information means that blood will kill each other. But you said that what happened to Meraxes was 'dangerous information', as you say. May I ask why?"

Brandon hesitated. "Why would you want to know that?"

"In that reality, you saw Aegon, myself, and Visenya as rulers of Westeros. But you say that you only saw what had happened to Vhagar, which I don't believe considering your abilities," Rhaenys said.

"You doubt my abilities now, Lady Rhaenys? If so, I could just put my hand on a weirwood and show you my rolled eyes," Brandon lightly remarked.

Rhaenys grinned. "It's not that, Lord Snow. Before we can continue, can I call you Brandon?"

"Yes, you can."

"Brandon, I believe you know what happened to Balerion and Meraxes. If you saw clearly what had happened to Vhagar, surely you must know what happened to Aegon's and my dragon," Rhaenys wanted to know.

Brandon swallowed some spit into his throat. "I'm not sure if you really want to know that information."

"Come now, Brandon. You revealed your foresight when you contacted me through our dreams. You wouldn't have had us come to the North and had your brother assemble the northern houses if you weren't so sure of what your sight revealed to you," Rhaenys outlined. "Surely, letting me know what happened to Meraxes isn't too much to ask."

Brandon's eyes darkened, startling her. "My sight can do many things, but some of the things I've seen, I wish I hadn't. Seeing into a potential future is a dangerous ability, one with dire consequences should I divulge what I had seen and the event doesn't come to pass."

"What are you talking about?" Rhaenys became confused at how Brandon became serious, a turn from his usual lightheartedness.

"I watched a woman die from a wildling arrow through the sight, only for my birthmother to be that woman," Rhaenys blinked in surprise. _He watched the woman who birthed him die before she knew?_ "I've seen different timelines, different realities, all of which point to the bleak future of the Starks. I've seen a Stark attending a ceremony where two became one, but that Stark died over dinner of all things." _That doesn't seem like a noble death, especially for a Stark. _"I've seen a Stark bleed out while his corpse lay in the sand, arrows piercing his armor." _Sand? There's only one place in Westeros where a northerner might have business with a desert_. "Also, I have seen my brother kneel before your husband after he forged his kingship through fire and blood." _King Torrhen knelt before Egg? _"I don't know if it'll come to pass, what I have seen, but it doesn't make it any less confusing."

"About that last one, won't King Torrhen swear fealty to our family anyway? At least one of your visions is coming true," she tried to comfort him.

"But that was under different circumstances, Lady Rhaenys. Your brother and husband killed and burned his way through Westeros, and my brother had to kneel because there was simply no way he could withstand dragons without losing many northmen in the process. The context behind anything is crucial and visions can sometimes be worthless without the right context," Brandon explained.

"I see," Rhaenys understood. "So you don't fully trust your abilities?"

"Don't get me wrong. I know that each of my visions have some root in what will come, but even the Old Gods don't reveal everything behind them. Sometimes, they reveal in the aftermath while they slowly make them known over a long period of time. I might have the sight, but like others, I'm a mere agent of the gods, so I can't force knowledge out of them," Brandon shrugged.

"I get your meaning," Rhaenys answered. "I had to consult my father and Lord Taygor in order to understand the meaning of my dreams. The gods can sometimes cause a lot of misunderstandings on us mortals, right?"

"Possibly," Brandon admitted. "But you're a dragon. Just like with the Starks, the rules of the mortal world can be bent for dragons. And that's why many will always will be afraid of you."

"Why would that be?" Rhaenys became curious.

"You really think anyone can ride those creatures into battle and utterly destroy their enemies in a blink of an eye?" Brandon asked rhetorically. "Also, dragons are not mindless as you already know, which makes you and your family all the more extraordinary. People fear what they don't understand and at the same time, people will be envious of what you can do. After all, dragons conquered many portions of Essos and in time, they shall do the same here."

"But the songs should not minimize your importance, Brandon. Same thing applies to the Starks. As you can tell, dragons can do many things but there are limits to their capabilities. Westeros being changed by a pact of ice and fire, as you say, and the North would have played an important part in that. Hopefully, your good-sister will get pregnant with a daughter and the pact can be consummated," Rhaenys said hopefully.

"She will," Brandon replied. "She gave my brother three healthy children, and she'll birth more. As for you, Lady Rhaenys, would you like to know how many children you'll birth?"

"Surprise me," Rhaenys wanted to give Aegon many heirs, but how many can she provide?

"Enough for three distinct bloodlines to emerge from your womb, but all shall carry the name Targaryen," Brandon replied cryptically.

Rhaenys' eyes widened. "Three?"

"That doesn't mean that you'll give birth to three children. It might be more than that," he teased.

"I thought you'll give me an exact number," she complained.

"I wouldn't do that to you, otherwise you'll have to be burdened with the expectation of pain. Child-birthing, as your mother would attest to, is a business not to be taken lightly. A healthy and content mother is always better than one who has to worry about the whole process," Brandon outlined.

"Huh, glad you're so considerate," Rhaenys said dryly.

"Probably the main reason why Jocelyn was able to withstand such painful births," Brandon shrugged.

"But what about Visenya? How many bloodlines will she give birth to?" she inquired.

"Three also, but one will combine with yours," Brandon replied.

"How so?" Rhaenys became curious at that.

"Well, the Targaryens have strong dragon blood but combine that with the Belaerys blood, then we shall have a dragon blood that will remain unbreakable," Brandon explained.

"But don't we have that already?" Rhaenys asked.

"Soon, but the combination of one of your bloodlines with hers will be quite the power changer," Brandon replied. "And it will be necessary, in order to keep the dragons united."

Rhaenys nodded. _So, one of our own will marry into one another. _

"But Brandon, what about you? Do you have a lady love?"

Brandon shook his head. "I don't."

"You're not, how should I say this? You're not—"

Brandon shook his head. "No, no. I like women. But considering my abilities, it's hard to find women who are not scared of me."

Rhaenys sighed. She could understand that, as there were men who were scared of her due to her riding a dragon.

"I'm sure you'll find someone you'll be able to bond with."

"I hope so. Because as I found out, you can't run through the game of life on your own. You need others. And you must protect one another."

"Just like our own family trying not to kill each other?"

"Well, a throne can do many things. Your concern when you have a throne is to make sure no one would resort to kinslaying to get that crown, as crowns are meaningless without family."

Rhaenys grinned. "I agree with you."

Brandon smiled back. "Good. But if you are able, maybe you know some women who would take a bastard?"

"Of course. You'll be the first to know, Brandon."

"Kirimvose," Brandon said in High Valyrian. "Now, let's go plan for the battle ahead."

* * *

Rhaenys flew high above the fields surrounding Raventree Hall on Meraxes with Visenya next to her on Vhagar. Below her on the field were eight thousand men, troops from houses sworn to King Loren and riverlord houses that had turned coat. She could see siege engines such as trebuchets, battering rams, and siege towers all pointed towards the wall of the seat of House Blackwood. Raventree Hall had high and ancient stonewalls, with moss climbing up them. There were two wide, square towers flanking the gate and a square tower at each angle in the wall. The castle was also defended by a deep moat lined with stone. She saw that that the inside of the walls were a muddy outer ward and a cavernous timber keep. Most importantly, she saw the castle's godswood, which contained a dead, ancient weirwood of colossal size. She had heard from Chrass Rivers that hundreds of ravens come and roost all night on the dead weirwood every evening at dusk, as they have for thousands of years. But as it was daytime, there were no ravens.

Rhaenys went over the plan again in her mind, as the battle drew near. Brandon would lead one thousand cavalry to the far left edge of the enemy formation. As the enemy would be able to hold them off easily, Meraxes and Vhagar would burn a path through their lines and allow Brandon and the troops to make it to the gates of Raventree Hall under the Stark banner. The purpose of this move was for him to inform Lord Colren Blackwood of the plan and to lead out the Blackwood garrison into the field. Meanwhile, fifteen thousand northmen under the personal command of King Torrhen would ride in from the northeast and strike at the eastern sections of the enemy encampment while five thousand men under Aegon and Jaenyx's command would approach from the Red Fork and strike at the southern sections of the besiegers' camp. With the east and southern flanks of Raventree Hall cleared, the Blackwoods would be able to be resupplied indefinitely and thus effectively end the siege.

Rhaenys protested to Brandon that the plan was risky, even though for once, they had the advantage of numbers.

"I won't be going alone," Brandon assured her.

"Of course you won't. But even I know that a thousand men will not stand a chance against the eight thousand we face," Rhaenys pointed out.

"Lord Blackwood has to see that I am with my brother and he should see Autumn," Brandon rubbed his direwolf's head.

"You think that the presence of Autumn would be enough to persuade Lord Blackwood to come out and fight alongside you?" Visenya asked.

"Yes, Lady Visenya. Just as your dragons can help turn the tide of battles, Autumn here will do the same. People have never seen direwolves south of the Neck and as followers of the Old Gods, the Blackwoods won't have much difficulty believing that our purpose here has been ordained by the gods," Brandon explained.

"With the fifteen thousand men King Torrhen will provide, along with the five thousand men coming south and the four thousand in Raventree Hall itself, we would be able to overwhelm the enemy with numbers and attacking from multiple directions," Visenya worked it out.

"Exactly. For once, you have overwhelming numbers on your side, but we have to maximize our potential here," Brandon added. "With Raventree Hall relieved, we can regain control over the riverlands and restrict the enemy to a few holdouts in the region. We have much to gain from this battle, but we must leave anything to chance."

"Agreed," Visenya nodded. "We'll burn a path for you. Just give us the signal and we will rain fire on the enemy before they can stick you."

"Kirimvose," Brandon said in High Valyrian before he went out to ready himself.

"Ready for the fight, Rhae?" Visenya clasped her sister's shoulder.

Rhaenys nodded. "After what they did to Orys and what they almost did at Gulltown, I believe we should receive due recompense from the enemy. They will not beat us in the field for a third time."

Visenya smiled. "Good. But Rhae, I think it's time we should see your skill with the bow in battle."

Rhaenys raised an eyebrow. "Vis?"

"You know what it's like to kill and you've had enough training with the Harus. When the time comes, I want you to be on the ground with me, letting your arrows loose against the enemy. I'll protect you while you do it, but I believe that it's time you get dirty with us," she said with seriousness.

Rhaenys breathed in and out. Now that she thought about it, she was not accustomed to ground combat as was Visenya, Aegon, Jaenyx, and Orys. And here was her sister offering to protect her while she would have her first real taste of battle. _It was going to happen eventually. Might as well be now. _

"Of course, Vis," Rhaenys pulled her in for a hug. "All I ask is that you be careful, as I don't want my nephew or niece to leave us before we can see him or her."

"And I you, Rhae, even though I am asking to fight with us," Visenya patted her back. "The dragon coats Jae gave us should do fine, but I got your back."

"And I yours," Rhaenys smirked.

Thinking back to the present, she readjusted her bow and quiver strapped to her back as the winds blew past her. While she had killed before face to face, she was actually quite nervous at the prospect of being a killing lady in the midst of battle. While Aegon, Jaenyx, Visenya, and Orys were very good at combat, they never bragged about their exploits. To them, battle had to be approached with a strong sobriety, since killing was not something to take lightly. _Egg might be good with a sword and trained to become a knight, but he never did seek out tourneys with enthusiasm. That's one of the things I like about Egg, as he sees his training with arms as something that needs to be done. _

Scanning the ground again, Rhaenys then saw a column of mounted northmen galloping towards Raventree Hall, towards the enemy encampment and carrying the Stark banner. Looking closer, she saw a red direwolf running towards the enemy front line as the front horseman tried to catch up with it. _That must be Brandon. _Then, she saw the Stark banner waving from left to right. Looking up to see Visenya, the sisters exchanged nods before guiding their dragons on a downward angle.

But the timing had to be perfect, as one wrong move on their part would cause collateral damage, either to their Blackwood allies or their Stark ones. And Autumn was running very fast, so they had to unleash fire before the Stark cavalry made contact.

Grasping Meraxes' spines tightly, the enemy was within striking range of her dragonbreath. "Dracarys!" she yelled out. Meraxes unleashed a stream of fire that consumed dozens of enemy troops and causing chaos in their ranks. Men dropped their pikes and shields while others moved to avoid the flames. Moving her dragon back up in the air, she turned and saw Vhagar unleash her orange flames through the front ranks and adding more chaos, but clearing a path for Autumn, Brandon, and the cavalrymen to break through. The direwolf and their horses jumped over the flames and were able to avoid any pikes that would have come their way, as Brandon galloped over to the gate and shouted his name to the guards. Luckily, the gates opened and Brandon and his column were able to enter before the enemy reorganized themselves.

As Vhagar and Meraxes circled each other, Rhaenys looked to her east and saw more northmen coming, making out banners such as the Mormonts, the Reeds, the Manderlys, the Boltons, and the Glovers besides the personal banner of King Torrhen. Infantry and cavalry all moved at a quick pace to meet more of their southern enemies, and there was no more opportune time to strike while they were still trying to fight off the dragon's flames.

Rhaenys then saw Visenya point southwards, and she saw more men coming from there. But what excited was seeing the Targaryen and Belaerys banners flying in the wind alongside the banners of the Rahitheons, the Blackwoods presumably under Chrass Rivers, the Karstarks, and the Celitgars who had managed to assemble at the collection point on the Red Fork.

Then, she heard two more dragon roars and looked up to see Balerion and Cloudwynd flying towards them. Vhagar and Meraxes made more room and the circle was enlarged, as four dragons now flew over Raventree Hall. _This is probably the first time in weeks where we we're able to fly together in battle, _Rhaenys thought with much excitement. _Just like at Dragonstone, we're flying to push the enemy away. _

Looking to Aegon and Jaenyx, who looked fierce in their armor and their swords at the ready, she noticed her husband… grinning during battle. But it wasn't the kind of grin where he was relishing the action. She saw that grin as the type where he was confident in facing whatever difficult situation he was placed in and thus had no worries about the outcome of the battle. _As he should be._

Jaenyx exchanged a glance with his wife, and Rhaenys saw enough of that to know that they will have a good tumble in bed after the battle was done. Forgetting one other thing, she exchanged another glance with Aegon. _I expect you in my arms after this. _

Aegon eagerly accepted the invitation before he shared a nod with his good-brother. Both dove down on their dragons towards the enemy before they both unleashed mixed stream of black and blue flames, causing more bodies to turn to ash while the fire caught on to those who were unlucky enough to be close by their burnt comrades.

Rhaenys looked over more of the fields around Raventree Hall before she Brandon's figure emerge on top of one section of the walls. From how he was moving his hand, he was telling her and Visenya to come down and land on the wall. _Land on the wall? I've never done that before. _

Pointing at Brandon, Rhaenys looked at Visenya, who nodded her head and began the descent down to the walls of Raventree Hall. Having Meraxes extend her wings so that they would both be able to land on the walls as smoothly as possible, she nevertheless felt a strong jerk as she continued to hold onto her spines. She carefully slid off Meraxes while Brandon helped her off by grabbing her hand. After making sure her rider was on the wall safely, Meraxes jumped off the wall and flew higher into the air. Visenya soon joined her and Brandon as they watched the battle unfold in front of their arrows.

To their left, the enemy's eastern flank was being decimated under the heavy weight of the northmen under King Torrhen's command. There were just simply too few adversaries to oppose the fifteen thousand Stark bannermen and with the weight of northern horses and steel crushing them, it became too much for the enemy to handle.

In front of them, the Karstark cavalry and Valyrian footmen alongside the Blackwoods under Chrass Rivers were making short work of the enemy, as they were too disorganized from the dragon flames to mount a proper defense. Meanwhile, Balerion and Cloudwynd continued to unleash their flames onto any turncoat or Lannister bannerman who tried to flee.

"We should join the battle soon, my lord," Colren Blackwood walked to stand next to them. Rhaenys looked over the Lord of Raventree, whose black hair was a bit unkempt and his beard became overgrown, which could also describe many of the other men who had been trapped inside the cattle. _Gods know how long they had to endure being besieged by especially their worst enemies. _

Brandon nodded. "Come on," he said to Autumn while the rest followed him down the stairs of the wall. Mounting his horse along with one thousand other northmen and the rest of the Blackwoods, he turned to face the men that would follow him. "Today is the day that we show these Faith shits what happens when they dare threaten those who don't worship their false gods! They tried to wipe us out thousands of years ago and they want to do it again. Well, I say, HELL NO!" The garrison cheered. "Now, let's show them a proper welcome from the Old Gods." Brandon unsheathed his sword as the gates opened. "Forward!"

The northmen and Blackwood garrison charged out through the gate to finish off what was left of the enemy. With northmen coming from the east, Valyrians from the south, and Blackwoods from behind, the enemy besiegers quickly collapsed and even some of the Brackens started to run despite their hatred of those that lived in Raventree Hall.

But Visenya and Rhaenys would be damned before they were denied a chance to participate in combat. The sisters charged out and as Visenya slashed with Dark Sister, Rhaenys drew her bow and let loose her first arrow at a Bracken, piercing him in the eye.

Feeling a sense of exhilaration from getting her first real kill, Rhaenys let out a breath before she re-nocked her bow and let loose another arrow, piercing a Crakehall man in the throat. She almost missed a knight charging at her with a lance drawn downwards, but quickly getting into position, she drew back her bow, exhaled to calm herself, and released an arrow that miraculously pierced through an opening in his helm and the knight fell down as a lifeless corpse.

She unleashed more arrows onto more men, some being instant while others required more than one before they fell down dead. A Marbrand man-at-arms charged at her, but she put one arrow that pierced his exposed thigh before she put one that went into his mouth and went out the back of his neck. But unlike how she imagined it, the process of killing men did not… exactly bother her. While she did not relish in their deaths, there was a certain calm that flowed through her as she pierced flesh with arrows. Before his passing, Arata Haru told her, "Being an archer is like trying to put an animal out of its misery. You cannot avoid killing, and if you must do so, make it as painless as possible. The best warriors know to make every kill a quick one, as an amateur will always make pain last a long time."

Such words were what Rhaenys took to heart as she released arrow after arrow. There was not much thinking involved, as Konno Haru told her, "Don't think. Just do." At the same time, she was being as precise as she could, as there was no time for unnecessary time spent on one man.

At last, when the battle started to die down, Rhaenys saw a Bracken knight attempting to flee the field. While she knew that either of the dragons would get him, she decided to put her skill to the test. Preparing one last arrow, she drew back, angled upwards, and breathed in and out a few times while aiming for the knight's neck. Before he could get far into the distance, she let the arrow loose, and watched it long enough for the arrowhead to pierce through his neck and he fell off of his horse.

Rhaenys put the bow on her back, as she exhaled and surveyed the field. Thousands lay dead, as thousands more were either wounded or were looting the corpses. Northmen and Blackwoods began to collect their dead while others started to embrace each other like long lost brothers. She saw Lord Karstark exchange words with Brandon before he moved to introduce himself to Lord Blackwood. There was some tension among some of the Valyrians and northmen, but only because they were not used to each other's presence and not out of mutual hate.

She felt Visenya put her hand on her shoulder. "You did good today, Rhae," she said approvingly. Rhaenys simply nodded. "I know what it's like to be in battle, especially up close like this. But considering that this is your first, you handled yourself very well. I'm proud of you."

"Thank you, Vis," Rhaenys calmly replied.

"Now, come on. Let's go find our husbands," Visenya urged on. Rhaenys eagerly followed her.

* * *

"And now, Raventree Hall and the Blackwoods are now safe!" Chrass Rivers toasted with his cup of ale, which the northmen responded with a cheer of their own.

The bards played music while the heads of the various houses of the riverlands that remained loyal to the dragons, of which there were so few, sat alongside the northmen and Valyrians in mutual celebration. With the lifting of the siege of Raventree Hall, food began to pour in from the northmen and the other regions still in the control of the dragons and merry spirits reentered the great hall, if only for a while.

As he was still a king, Torrhen Stark sat at the head table, but Aegon, Rhaenys, Jaenyx, and Visenya were all presented equally alongside him. _But not for long. _The circumstances that would dictate the North's relationship with the Valyrians after their future coronation would be discussed at another time, but for now, they would use this occasion to celebrate a great victory.

"I wonder how long it would be before I carry the child that would consummate the pact?" Jocelyn Reed spoke to Rhaenys.

"Hopefully soon, Queen Jocelyn," she addressed the Queen in the North respectfully, as she still held her title. "Best we get the pact confirmed as soon as possible. After all, our alliance depends on it."

"Indeed," Jocelyn agreed. "But I have concerns. As this is an arranged marriage, I wonder if my child will have true affections for yours. We both know that arranged unions do not have the most success."

Rhaenys understood her. "I see your point. But I believe we should have nothing to worry about."

"What is that, Lady Rhaenys?"

Rhaenys pointed gestured to Visenya and Jaenyx. "They were arranged, as my father only allowed my good-brother to settle on Dragonstone after married Visenya. However, they grew to love each other and they now have a child on the way, just like with me."

"But they're only one couple," Jocelyn pointed out.

"And I'll let you in on a secret," Rhaenys sat closer to her. "From what I hear, Orys Baratheon and Argella Durrandon have developed affection for each other despite what had happened."

Jocelyn looked impressed. "That's amazing, considering what Lord Orys did to Argella's father."

"Exactly," Rhaenys nodded. "So, there are unions that have been arranged that also ended up causing happiness. But considering that our children have magic in their blood, I'm sure that whatever love that develops between them will be… magical. After all, dragons are passionate and I'm sure the same could be said of wolves."

Jocelyn chuckled. "You have no idea how right you sound."

Rhaenys was surprised at that revelation. "You mean… King Torrhen is—"

Jocelyn bobbed his head. "Yes, yes. And please don't ask the details. He doesn't like it when people outside of family know of his intimate life."

"But we are going to be family soon, considering the children that we'll carry in our wombs," Rhaenys pointed back.

"How about we can discuss this in more… private settings?"

"Agreed," Rhaenys smiled.

The feast had more dishes served and more music playing before all had to retire for the night. As Jaenyx and Visenya and Torrhen and Jocelyn retired to their personal chambers, Rhaenys kept Aegon close as they walked towards theirs.

She closed the door quickly behind them. Before he could speak, she grabbed his head and pulled him into a long kiss. _We can talk later_.

Immediately, Rhaenys put her hands down his smallclothes and felt him already become hard for her. A smile crossed her face. _He's been wanting to do this also._

In response, Aegon grabbed her ass and picked her up. She wrapped her legs around him, pushing down his trousers with her feet, and pulled them both down to the bed. He ran his hands up her legs and she looked down at him with pure lust. He licked up her thighs and began licking her cunt. Rhaenys moaned at his touch. He always loved to do this, but right now she needed him. She grabbed his hair and looked at him with the stormiest look.

"Just get inside me," Rhaenys said with all the love, lust and frustration she could exude. _Been too long since we coupled._

Aegon quickly removed the last bit of his garments and climbed on top of her. Unhappy with her position, he grabbed her ass and pushed her up the bed. He put one of her legs on his shoulder and held her arms against the bed. Looking in his eyes, Rhaenys knew that the dragon in him had been released. _The dragon has awakened._

Aegon entered her and released a hard grunt. She moaned and felt so full with his cock inside her. He began to fuck her hard against the bed. She moaned so loud that she was sure that others in their chambers could hear them, but she could care less.

He released her hands and grabbed the headboard, fucking her harder against the bed. She felt so hot as she ran her hands up his strong abdominals.

When she was close, Rhaenys moved her legs to wrap around his waist and she felt her breasts rub against his chest with every thrust. It became difficult for her to keep her violet eyes on her husband's.

She began to lose control of herself now. When she felt his cock twitch inside her, her eyes rolled to the back of her head and waves of pleasure rolled through her body as his seed squirted and coated her walls. Her mind went blank for a moment before she came to her senses. She felt Aegon on top of her, his strong, large form on top of her graceful form. He had one of his hands in her hair and another on her ass, both adding to the pleasure she was now feeling. She felt the strength of his grip and she knew she would have bruises on her white skin forming in the morning.

He moved to pull the covers around them and he wrapped his arms around her. She positioned herself to lay on him with her head on his chest while she felt his hand rub her belly, where their child was.

Had circumstances been different, she might have took the chance to marry him years ago when they first knew that they had feelings for each other. At the time, their father wanted Aegon to marry Visenya and would only consent to their own marriage after the first one. But the gods were good, as they allowed Visenya to be happy with her own man while Aegon and Rhaenys could enjoy their own happiness. _What did we do to deserve this?_

And now, the gods deemed them fit for another gift, the gift of children. No one who knew Aerion and Valaena well could deny that they loved their children, and it was that love that Rhaenys wanted to pass onto her own. She had every confidence that Visenya would also be a good mother, and she a good aunt.

But with the revelations from Brandon Snow, they now had to fight harder for their happiness. Being rulers meant more responsibilities and more attention devoted to ensure that their rule was good and peaceful, if they even knew how to do that. Aegon and Rhaenys might have learned how to manage Dragonstone, but the Seven Kingdoms? That itself was a daunting task and Rhaenys had a lot of worries, especially for her children, since they would become princes and princesses. _They could be compelled into making decisions that run against their conscience. Is that what royalty is? _

But those were concerns to be addressed at another time. Righ now, Rhaenys curled into her lord husband and future king.

"Tell me that you did not enjoy that," she challenged him.

"You know that's not true," Aegon answered.

She chuckled briefly and brought her hand to his face while her husband smiled at her.

"What troubles you, Rhae?" he asked, seeing the worry in her eyes.

"What if we're not prepared to be rulers?" Rhaenys decided to let her husband know.

Aegon nodded in understanding. "I've been having the same thoughts too. But if the gods are good, they will show us the way."

"But we've been content so far," Rhaenys responded. "What if… a crown ruins that?"

Aegon ran his hand through her hair. "We have each other and we know to trust each other on everything important. And we can protect each other also. You were great today on the bow. We're dragons, so we should not let such small worries get us down."

_Damn it, Egg_. He always knew what to say to calm his wife.

Rhaenys pulled him closer. "My husband has been busy for several weeks and has forsaken his duty," she said before she kissed him. She turned and got on her hands and knees. "Now take me again," she ordered lustfully.

"So soon?" Aegon laughed before positioning himself behind her.

"Doesn't it make you excited?" she asked, exposing her ass to his waiting cock. "To know that others can only wish to have what we enjoy now?"

Aegon kissed the place between her shoulders before she spread her legs on the bed. Aegon looked at her beautiful cunt, which was already wet for him. Inserting himself such eagerness, they went at a fast pace. And Rhaenys was sure that people would talk of their coupling in the next day.

_If they ask, I will them that I mounted him and took him for a ride, and that we rode each other all night. _

**A/N: The battle was based on the lifting of the Siege of Orleans (1429). And now that the Blackwoods have been liberated, we are very close to the turning point of the Conquest. But mind you, there will be much more battles to be fought before the dragons can truly rule Westeros as one and then some. And I hope I delivered with how Rhaenys handled herself with a bow.  
**

**We see Brandon and Rhaenys starting to have a good friendship, which might start some rumors. But don't worry, such a thing would not affect the dragons in the long run. **

**Next, we see Loren again.**


	39. Loren Lannister III

**A/N: Got a bit excited with approaching the turning point in the Conquest that I decided to get there as soon as possible. So, I hope this still meets expectations. **

**Remember to continue to stay safe and this pandemic shall end soon. Hold on, everyone! **

**Without ado, here is the chapter. **

Loren III

"Make sure that Lord Marbrand receives the raven before the day is out," Loren told the maester of the Silverhill.

"Your Grace, I'm not sure if the raven can travel fast enough before—"

Loren cut him off. "Just see it done. Everything must run faster this time and there is to be no delay in my orders. Is that clear?"

"Yes, You Grace," the maester dipped his head before walking out of the solar.

Loren went though more dispatches in the solar of Lord Serrett, granted to him as a courtesy of his crown. To say that the last moon had been taxing on the King of the Rock would have been an understatement, as the war was shifting in directions that were not favorable to his goals.

While they had achieved victories over the dragons at Riverrun and the Braavosi sellswords crippled their naval strength off of Gulltown, it was evidently not enough to retain the initiative and roll back the dragons from the Westerosi mainland. The dragons still commanded over a sizable force of those from the stormland houses, riverlanders who had remained loyal to them, and those from around the Blackwater Bay. Their host wasn't large enough to mount a major offensive, but it was sufficient for them to halt the progress of those that had adopted the Faith's star.

And now, Loren was receiving distressing reports that the Starks of Winterfell under King Torrhen had crossed the Neck with forty thousand men and had already achieved great victories on their march southwards. Seagard and Raventree Hall were relieved while the Twins, Fairmarket, and the most of the Trident had been brought back under the dragons' fold. The northmen had changed everything, and for the first time since the war had started, those who had adhered to the Faith had to assume the defensive.

But what baffled Loren was why the Starks would even contemplate marching south. The Andals were wiped out to a man when they attempted to fight the First Men in the north, while Theon Stark crossed the narrow sea into Andalos and started his famed campaign to strike at their homelands. All of that was within reason, as no Andal could hope to enter the North by force after Theon Stark's display.

However, Loren was confused as to why Torrhen Stark would consider supporting the dragons. He did hear rumors of his bastard brother, Brandon Snow, and how he had the ability to see into the future, but Loren didn't take stock in such fantastical rumors. What he was very concerned about was the fact that tens of thousands of northmen were now fighting alongside the dragons in the south and given their ability to withstand heavy combat, Loren had to rethink his strategy.

A servant entered his solar. "Your Grace, a Lord Weslar Reyne is here to petition you."

Loren sighed, knowing instantly what the Lord of Castamere wanted to speak with him about. "Very well, send him in."

While keeping his focus on the dispatches, Loren looked up and saw the head of House Reyne stomp into the solar. He was wearing the red lion surcoat and chain mail, but the soot on both of them spoke of his recent involvement in combat.

"Lord Weslar," Loren addressed him. "You look like you've been in quite the fight."

"I was, Your Grace," Lord Reyne answered. "I just came back from a skirmish with Valyrian cavalry, where we were able to barely escape when their black dragon started to rain fire on us."

"And where did this occur?"

"West of Riverrun," Lord Reyne replied. "But the dragons have not committed an organized force to take the castle, but parts of the Red Fork east of it have now fallen back into their control and they're sending out cavalry screens."

"You mean to say that you rode here all the way from Riverrun to tell me this?" Loren put down his dispatches while looking at him with a sense of shock and disappointment. _I would have thought that he would remain fighting alongside his troops. _

"That's not why I'm here, Your Grace. I've come to intercede on behalf of my son, Bailen."

Loren nodded. "Yes, I received your raven. Did you not receive my response?"

"I did, but I felt that a personal appearance before you would reveal the resolve I have to the well-being of my son."

Loren crossed his arms as he leaned on the back on his chair. "Ser Bailen had one duty, and that was to ensure the security of Casterly Rock. However, several weeks ago, a group of shits in black infiltrated my home, killed some of the guards, and got Orys Baratheon out of captivity. Do you realize how much we've lost without him use as a bargaining tool?"

"I do, Your Grace."

"Then you should understand that there are consequences to your son's incompetence. He failed to prevent one of our most valuable prisoners from being freed and in the process, dozens of my own guards, men I have lived with for years, were killed," Loren outlined.

Loren had heard that one of the men dressed in black was left behind at Casterly Rock, but he was pierced in the back with crossbow bolts and thus could not be moved without causing him more pain. Thus, either Visenya Targaryen or Jaenyx Belaerys tied swords to his hands and this man killed over thirty men in a tight, enclosed space. Even while he was on the ground, his body pierced with many arrows, he kept saying in the common tongue, "Come here, you bastards! Come here and die!" while spitting on them. Some other men were killed when they couldn't let such insults go and it took over forty wounds inflicted on him and a poleaxe that cracked open his head before he finally went down. But even the survivors were still shocked at that man remained fighting even as his body was torn to pieces.

_If Jaenys Belaerys has more men like him, then this will truly be a hard fight, even with dragons. _

"But does that necessitate my son being thrown in the deepest, darkest cell in Casterly Rock? He was dealing with Jaenyx and Visenya Belaerys themselves, who have proven themselves to be most able in carrying out such actions. And my son is still a member of House Reyne, who—"

"Failed in his duty as Casterly Rock's castellan and is therefore being punished justly for it," Loren interrupted. "You should have trained your son better if you wished for him to avoid imprisonment."

Weslar Reyne moved closer to the table and slammed his hands on it. "Various factors must be taken into account before you come to the decision of imprisoning my son, Your Grace," he said with growing anger. "You expect my son to fight to the death against those who could ride dragons? If I'm not mistaken, our victory at Riverrun came at a heavy cost and there are no viable ways that we can hurt them. So, it is safe that my son performed as best as he could but the circumstances were out of his control."

Loren stood up, fuming. "Are you implying that we will lose against the dragons? You dare speak of such outcomes to your king?"

"I'm merely state the facts, Your Grace," Weslar Reyne kept his eyes on Loren's. "Whatever success we have came at heavy cost and now you're suggesting that my son should've died preventing them from rescuing Orys Baratheon."

"As he should. I am his king and yours, and if he had failed in his obligations as castellan, the only just recompense for his failure would've been death. Be thankful that I am not going to kill him, and the same could be applied to you."

"What do you mean?" Lord Reyne narrowed his eyes.

"You came to defend your son, which is an admirable thing to do as a father, but your first duty is your king, me, and you should have accepted the judgment and continued carrying out your duties against the enemy. I could have you imprisoned for insubordination and thus allow you to have some time with your son in a cell."

"If you do that, then the Reynes would not stand by. They will not fight for you should anything happen to me."

"Is that a threat, Lord Reyne?" Loren's fists tightened.

"I am only saying more facts, Your Grace," Weslar shot back.

Loren wanted nothing more than to arrest the Lord of Castamere for such behavior, but as he accurately said, any action against him would remove the second largest army sworn to House Lannister from the field. At this point in the war, he could not afford any amount of his bannermen to find reasons not to fight for him.

"All right," Loren controlled himself. "I will see to it that Ser Bailen is moved to more suitable quarters, but he shall be kept under lock and key. But don't forget, he still failed in his duty and therefore my decision to remove him as castellan shall stand."

"Hmmm," Weslar let out. "I will agree to that."

"And just so we're clear, if you behave in this manner again, I will have you imprisoned, whether or not I still have your men under my command," Loren promised him. "Don't push me your king so far, or you shall suffer the consequences."

"Understood," Weslar said quietly.

"Now, go." The Lord of Castamere walked out of the solar without another word.

_I'm losing my patience with him, _Loren thought. He was not going to allow Weslar to have the final say, so he drafted up a message to be sent by raven to Casterly Rock, which outlined his instructions on what had to be done with Ser Bailen. _I might have agreed to move him to more proper accommodations, but he's wrong to think that I will fold to his threats. _

After going through the dispatches and seeing more petitioners, Loren went outside the walls of Silverhill, where he saw his Ghiscari sellsword, Shaqna zo Rhola, working on another solution to the dragon problem. After the recent setbacks in the riverlands, he directed the Ghiscari to find an alternative way to counter the dragons and zo Rhola developed a large crossbow-like weapon that could fire large bolts at great distance and should have enough power to pierce the flesh of a dragon.

"I trust that everything is developing accordingly, zo Rhola." Approaching the gruff Ghiscari, Loren saw two other men prepare to draw the large crossbow via several levers. They then loaded a massive bolt, topped with a large steel head, that was over twice as long as any man. He was not interested in how zo Rhola developed such a weapon, only if it could work against dragons.

"Yes, King Loren," the Ghiscari answered. "If you like, I can show you a demonstration into the weapon's power."

"I would like an demonstration, zo Rhola," Loren straightened his garments.

"As you wish," zo Rhola nodded before he ordered the men to aim at a cow that had strayed from the Serrett's main herd. Adjusting their aim, zo Rhola gave the order to let loose the bolt.

The bolt not only pierced through the cow, but the force from the bolt cut it in half, its flesh flew in many directions while the bones were cut clean through, and each half of the cow spun around on its two legs before they fell to the ground. The cow's tongue stuck out as its remains spilled blood on the dirt while the bolt was buried deep in the ground.

"Impressive," Loren said. "But can it be used to effect against dragons? I highly doubt that they'll just mull around on the ground like that poor cow you butchered so mercilessly."

"With the power of the bolt as you have just seen, it should be enough to wound a dragon. If we're talking about killing them, that's another issue," zo Rhola stated.

"Then why make this weapon in the first place?" Loren became exasperated. _He's waiting my time if he thinks that I want tools that can wound dragons, not kill them. _

"King Loren, killing dragons is not a simple process. My own people and the Rhoynish had fought the dragons for thousands of years, and they were subjugated. Do you really think you people have a chance at killing dragons, considering your own backwardness?" zo Rhola retorted.

Loren scoffed. "Is this how you address a king, no less someone who pays you for your services?"

"I must correct you there, King Loren. The Iron Bank pays me, and I'm only part of the deal that you made with them, so my orders come from Braavos, not from you."

"But you are still my guest, and you will fulfill my requests to the best of your abilities."

"And I shall, but I am stating the facts, King Loren. You people do not have a chance against dragons, so the only way that you can fight them is to wound them. If you kill them… then my opinion of this continent will change. And I've read stories of how dragons came here before the Targaryens did, but I don't take much stock in stories."

Loren sighed before he switched topics. "What of your obligations to our cause?"

"I have no obligations, truthfully speaking," zo Rhola answered honestly. "I don't care about your holy war against the dragons. I am only because I am being paid. Anything else, then you're asking the wrong man.

Loren had to appreciate his honesty, but considering their changed circumstances, he was not in the mood to dwell very much on it.

"All right then," Loren bobbed his head. "Do what you can with the weapon you have, but I expect more to made and send your designs to me."

"Will do," zo Rhola assented before he returned to inspect the large crossbow.

Just as Loren was about to reenter the confines of Silverhill, one of his footmen ran up to him. "Your Grace," he dipped his head.

"What is it?"

"Banners approaching from the south, all carrying the green hand and one carrying the ironborn's quartered sigil."

_The Gardeners and Darvin Hoare? What are they doing here? _"Tell the castle to prepare their arrival and I shall greet them personally."

As the Serrett guards lined the path where the King of the Reach and the ironborn king entered Silverhill, Loren could feel the tension in the air as the three kings were about to face off in the aftermath of the tide shifting in the war. Mern Gardener still looked the same as he was the last time they met at the Arbor, while Loren could see a more… crazed gaze in Darvin Hoare's eyes. _If it weren't for the fact that he's contributing, I would have killed him for starting this mess. _

"Your Graces," Loren addressed them both.

"Your Grace," Mern Gardener addressed Loren with respect.

"King Loren," Darvin Hoare greeted him, but with more levity than was allowed for meetings such as this.

"This is an unexpected surprise," Loren said. "I would have thought that you were still in Highgarden, and that you were still on your ship, King Darvin."

"Yes, but as the situation has changed, we must rethink our strategy before we can continue on. We have to do something to regain the advantage," Mern answered.

"Of course. Please follow me," Loren gestured to them.

As the three kings settled in Lord Serrett's solar, Loren waited for one of them to start. From what he had learned from how nobles and rulers treated one another, the first to talk was usually the one with the most to lose. And he was certainly not going to reveal weakness on his part.

"Your Graces," Darvin Hoare began. _Of course he would start. He has the most to lose out of all of us. _"I must confess that the recent setbacks in especially the riverlands has gotten me… apprehensive. Torrhen Stark has marched southwards and the dragons now have an ally capable of fighting all of us on equal terms."

"Speak for yourself, King Darvin," Mern said. "It is true that the men of the North fighting alongside the dragons causes much complications, but they are still outnumbered the forces we can muster. I still command thirty thousand men, all of them fresh and eager to begin fighting for the Seven."

"With respect, King Mern," Loren joined in. "Numbers might help, but the men of the North are known to be hardy warriors. They've endured harsher conditions than all of us could and just like your thirty thousand men, their forty thousand are fresh despite being involved in a few battles already. But that's not the concerning part."

"What would that be, King Loren?" Mern cocked his head, listening closely.

"It is a known fact that the Old Gods are still worshipped in the North, with the Manderlys being the only exception. And with the recent lifting of the siege of Raventree Hall, this war has now taken on a new form. The sides have now been divided between those that follow the Faith and those that don't. The Andals against the First Men and the Valyrians. Essentially, the minority against the majority of Westeros."

"And your point being?" Darvin grew impatient.

Loren had to suppress his growing annoyance at the ironborn. "It'll only be a matter of time before those who were in the minority start to have ideas about joining the other side. Those that were long cut out from the major decisions and power and there are those who wish to supplant us. Those are the enemies that are now facing us, because the Valyrians and the First Men of the North represent a good opportunity for those that were below us to begin to rise against us."

"And you think that if we defeat them, we'll be able to retain our power and authority?" Mern caught on.

"Exactly. We still have a strong army and fleets to counter the dragons and the North. Riverlords who remain on our side, the lords of the Reach, the ironborn, the lords sworn to House Lannister, and the lords of the Vale. Led by myself, Queen Regent Sharra Arryn, and you two. While the riverlands being retaken does cause complications, we still have a force to challenge the dragons and the northmen."

Mern tapped his fingers on the table in thought. "But what of our losses so far? My son Edmund has reported many casualties whenever he tried to penetrate the defenses that Argella Durrandon has cleverly propped up, which is a surprise given that she has no military experience. As for you, King Loren, you and your riverlord turncoats lost thousands of men to the dragons and the troops under King Torrhen. The Citadel said that we must prepare for the coming of winter soon and that we might only get to enjoy four more harvests at the most before the crops turn, so we cannot afford more losses."

Loren frowned. "The stormlords were not known for their martial abilities for nothing, and many of the men who had fought for King Argilac are now fighting for Argella Durrandon and Orys Baratheon, so their prowess in battle has not been dulled. As for the losses that I have incurred, allow me to remind you that I still have tens of thousands more to call upon and that I still control Riverrun, meaning that I have not lost."

"Now that we're on the topic of Orys Baratheon, let's discuss your most significant setback." Loren cursed himself, as word of the raid at Casterly Rock travelled fast, with the news hitting both Highgarden and the Eyrie like comets. Loren remembered both of their ravens as they demanded an explanation of why that had happened. _No one demands anything of me_. "I heard about your scheme to have Lord Baratheon annul his marriage to Argella Durrandon and revealing our plans in regards to what will happen after we win in the process. While I am flattered that you would go to such lengths to help my house, it could be said that you only jeopardized such a plan by trying to make him sign those documents under duress. Moreover, I hear that you tortured him. I personally don't care much for bastards, but you torturing the man who had taken Argilac's place over the stormlords lends the dragons some moral authority, as they can claim that your actions were the result of you letting your whims take control over your actions."

Loren glared at Mern. "You'd be wise as to not say anything further than that, King Mern." Pausing, he turned to look the younger and more unrestrained ironborn king in the eye. "But since we're talking about failure, let's talk about yours. You know what the dragons did to your father and brothers at Harrenhal. I don't know what you thought to gain by attacking their home and thus bringing them to the mainland, but also know that this whole war is your fault. You wanted to line your pockets and act as all ironborn do, and look where that got your house. Jaenyx Belaerys and the Targaryens burned much of your family to ashes, making them mere black corpses and driving your house to the point of extinction. If you think about, it's only you that can carry on your family name. Your uncle at the Wall can't do anything, so with your stupidity, you just doomed House Hoare. Have you considered that, King Darvin?"

Eyes narrowing, there was silence as Darvin stewed on Loren's words. Any rebuttal was delayed, as his words made him think even for a moment how his actions jeopardized House Hoare. "I'm an ironborn, as you say. The Drowned God demands of us to live a certain way and I intend to do so. What I did with the dragons and what I have done now was merely the Drowned God dictating our lives, so you cannot judge me for living differently than you."

Frustration welling inside him, Loren willed himself to be calm. The same unfaltering control that had allowed him to retain his crown amongst those who sought to usurp him, with the Reynes being at the top of the list of potential threats. "You really think that we give a damn about your Drowned God?" Darvin became incensed. "Maybe that's why your family's hold on the riverlands so easily slipped from your fingers. You treated the riverlords like slaves and they defected at the first opportunity. And considering what you tried to do to the dragons, you really believe that everything will go back to the way it was? For you, it won't be."

Darvin stood up. "You promised that you would return the riverlands to my control, but you never allowed any of my men to enter during your brief occupation."

"Now you know why," Loren answered back. "And do you think that I would even think to trust you? I hear reports of your captains and crewmen causing ruckuses in Oldtown, the Arbor, and Lannisport everyday. It seems you can't even control your own troops, and you expect us to fight to get your lands back? If you think so, then you're a bigger fool than I thought."

Darvin moved to withdraw his axe, but then he heard creaking outside of the door. Before Loren entered, he had cautioned the guards to stand vigilantly outside of the solar in case the ironborn tried to harm him or King Mern. _If he tries to harm us, I'm giving you permission to kill him_, were Loren's words.

Sensing what was waiting for him outside of the good, Darvin calmed down as he put his hand away from the axe and sat down. "I thought we had a deal, Your Graces."

"I must side with King Loren in this regard," Mern joined in. "Lord Hightowers has sent me a string of grave concerns regarding the conduct of your captains. While I am still wishing for your our alliance to continue, you must get your men in line. If you don't, it'll only spell disaster for all of us."

"All of you, you mean," Darvin spat. "As I said, myself and my men are behaving as decreed by the Drowned God and I won't stop my men from doing what they've been doing for as long as ironborn existed."

"Then you're showing yourself incapable of fulfilling your end of the bargain," Mern answered. "Also, the Starry Sept complained to me that you turned away the septons who were trying to convert your people to the Seven while acting indecently in the septs of the places you caused trouble in. You promised to allow the Faith to conduct its activities, but you're not allowing them to."

"That wasn't me," Darvin denied. "That's probably my men showing their displeasure at the thought of worshiping your Seven. But I wouldn't blame them." _Why did we allow him to fight alongside us? _"If you will excuse me, I think I will go back to tend to my men." Darvin Hoare stood up, giving the two kings a scowl before he grunted hard and stomped off, leaving the two kings to discuss their business without the ironborn.

"I have had it with him," Loren pointed to the where Darvin sat.

"I agree with your concerns, King Loren," Mern nodded. "But let us move past the ironborn problem." He pulled out a letter from his tunic. "This is from the Starry Sept, signed by the High Septon himself. In it are contents which would be of great concern for you."

As Loren took the letter from Mern's hands, he opened it and read what the High Septon said to him:

_"__To Loren Lannister, First of His Name, Lord of Casterly Rock, King of the Rock and Marshal of the Faith, _

_The recent turnarounds in the riverlands are of a most unfortunate nature. With the entry of the First Men of the North and by extension the last bastion of the Old Gods into the war, we have now entered a new phase of our holy cause against the dragons. _

_I have been in prayer with the Father and after much meditation and reflection on the matter, I have decided to appoint Mern Gardener, Ninth of His Name, Lord of Highgarden, and King of the Reach as Marshal of the Faith and grant him authority in all matters related to the war effort. You will be allowed to keep your title as Marshal of the Faith, but you will no longer hold sole authority over those who chose to declare themselves representatives of the Warrior. _

_I have also received word from the Citadel that all of us should prepare for coming of winter after four harvests, but with the end of the harvests ends the nourishment our holy soldiers rely on. Therefore, on command of the Father, this war should end soon and I believe that the involvement of King Mern in all matters of the war effort would quicken our holy cause to its glorious conclusion. _

_I look forward to our great victory and I shall anoint the holy oils of the gods when the incestuous abominations have been wiped out. _

_Seven blessings,_

_The High Septon_

As Loren finished reading, he noticed how big of a smile Mern wore on his face. Setting the letter down, he realized something.

"You had the High Septon give you authority over our troops," Loren put it together.

"I had nothing to do with what the gods told the High Septon to command," Mern denied.

"Oh, come now. You used my setbacks in the riverlands in order to get more control over the war from me. You arranged for this to happen," Loren pointed his finger at him.

"Maybe, maybe not," Mern shrugged. "But considering your failures, it's time for new leadership to enter our army's command. And therefore, I propose my first action as Marshal of the Faith."

"What would that be?" Loren doubted that the King of the Reach could come up with a solution to their mess.

"I propose that my son, Gawen, lead an attack into the heart of the enemy, the Blackwater Bay."

Loren became interested. "Go on."

"We will get nowhere with attacking the lands closest to them. We tried that with the stormlands, and the same with the riverlands. However, we haven't contemplated attacking near their home."

Loren crossed his arms. "Okay. How would you propose that we carry out this attack?"

"As I said, I still have thirty thousand men who are fresh and eager for battle. My son Gawen will lead twenty thousand men in an attack on the Blackwater Bay, more specifically their citadel on Blackwater Rush and the secondary objectives being Duskendale, Rosby, and Stokeworth. If we can take the Blackwater Bay, at least the ones with the most importance, then we split the dragons' lands into two. We thus control the Blackwater Rush and limit their movement to the riverlands and the stormlands," Mern explained.

In all honesty, Loren judged the plan as bold and full of sense. "Is Gawen Gardener qualified to lead such an attack?"

"You wound me, King Loren," Mern said while being lightly filled with hurtfulness. "Edmund is the more politically savvy of my sons, but Gawen is the warrior of us. He can ride a horse better than any man than I know and had participated in more tourneys than I ever did. He is also very good at commanding cavalry, which is an ideal background for someone leading an attack of this size."

Loren wanted to show his concern for entrusting a tourney knight, even though he was prince, with such a responsibility. However, given that they were equals at the moment, he kept such concerns to himself since Mern had the ear of the High Septon. While he couldn't care less about what that old bastard thought, some of his lords did and there was no way he could afford to antagonize them.

"Very well. I consent to this plan," Loren nodded. It was the best plan that they had at the moment. "I shall send five thousand of my cavalry to assist your son. I pray that the attack would provide us with many dividends."

"It will," Mern replied with confidence.

Before they could retire, a servant entered. "Your Graces, a letter, from Dragonstone."

_Dragonstone?_ Loren snatched the letter from the servant's hand and dismissed him from the solar.

"What do the dragons have to say to us?"

Loren was also curious, as he unfolded the letter and read it aloud:

_"__To all the Kings and Lords of the Seven Kingdoms, _

_You have decided to wage war upon us for the simple reason of us being Valyrian. You hate our customs, you hate our lineage, and most importantly, you resent the fact that we have control over dragons, something only those of our bloodline can do. _

_Such an action has compelled us to rethink our position in Westeros. Four kingdoms stand against us, while two have either been subjugated or have decided to stand alongside us. Should our enemies triumph, we will see our family killed and our people subjected to suffer. As caretakers of our people, we cannot allow that to happen. _

_To ensure our own survival as a people and culture, from this day forward, we now lay claim to a new throne, a new crown. One that shall rule over all of Westeros and usher in an age where the glories of Valyria could live on. _

_However, we do not seek to accomplish this alone. Through a representative of the Old Gods, we have received their blessing to become rulers over all of Westeros and to help the ways of the First Men return to these lands. Through this pact, a Pact of Ice and Fire, we shall be united in changing Westeros for the better. Our reign will start a period of peace in these lands, where the squabbling between kings and lords would end and all need only be loyal to one king. _

_We welcome any who wish to join us and help bring about a new era to Westeros. Should you swear fealty to House Targaryen and House Belaerys, you shall be allowed to keep your lands, your titles, and allow the survival of your house. And you shall enjoy the confidence and goodwill of our people after we triumph against our enemies and make all seven kingdoms into one. _

_To those who seek our ruin, fire and blood will rain upon you, and may your gods give you death before dishonor, for that is the best that you can hope for. _

_For the unity of Westeros and the start of a new age. _

_Signed, _

_Aegon of House Targaryen, First of His Name, King of All Westeros, Shield of His People_

_Rhaenys of House Targaryen, First of Her Name, Queen of All Westeros, Shield of Her People _

_Visenya of House Targaryen and House Belaerys, Princess of Sphinx Rest and of Westeros, Sword of Her People _

_Jaenyx of House Belaerys, Prince of Sphinx Rest and of Westeros, Sword of His People _

But what caught Loren's attention was how each name had its own distinct style, as if all four had signed their names on the declaration. _If that's the case, then the dragons are truly united and they share power with each other despite the differing titles. _What baffled him more was the name "Sphinx Rest." _Where's Sphinx Rest? _

Mern scoffed. "Oh, they're declaring themselves ruler over all of Westeros? The nerve on them."

Loren pursed his lips. "But that doesn't make it any less threatening. They're offering those who would join them confirmation of their titles and lands in addition to others rewards while promising destruction upon those that don't. With their dragons, they can certainly carry out that out. Which will make your plan to use Gawen all the more necessary."

Mern raised his eyebrow. "Necessary?"

"I am sure that all of the major rulers of Westeros have received this letter. The longer they continue to claim rulership over all of us, the more likely people will believe it. We have to strike now and bring them to their knees before that happens. If we don't, our crowns, our kingdoms will be shaken," Loren laid it out for him.

Mern rubbed his chin. "All right. I'll send a raven to Highgarden and inform my son that he will lead the attack. And I expect you to stand by your promise to send your cavalry to assist my son."

"I shall," Loren reassured. As Mern left the solar, Loren pondered on whom he could send to assist Gawen Gardener. He could have gone with either the Westerlings, the Marbrands, or the Crakehalls, but they were among his most loyal houses and he needed their strength for later battles.

That's when he decided to choose the Reynes. Writing a message quickly, Loren wrote to Weslar Reyne that he required most of his cavalry, three thousand strong, to assist him while he would get the Serrets and Kayces to contribute what was left of their cavalry to assist the Reynes.

Knowing that Weslar Reyne would become a threat that would grow out of control, Loren decided that if he couldn't get the Reynes' absolute loyalty, he would thus weaken them. _Maybe the dragons would do the work for me. _As for the Serrets and Kayces, they were defeated and would thus no longer in Loren's close confidence in regards to battle. They were now only useful for the amount of troops that they could still muster.

Sending the ravens out, he admittedly felt some anxiety over the next few weeks. While Gawen Gardener's attack would be bold, there was a small chance that it could fail and thus further threatening his hold on his kingdom. Thousands of years of Lannister rule would fall to nothing if they didn't deal with the dragons soon.

_I'll just have to show them that playing a king and queen is different than knowing what it is to be such after many thousands of years, something that they know nothing of. _

As for Darvin Hoare, he sent another raven to Lannisport, warning his relative to keep watch for any ironborn that might come to attack.

_When this is over, I shall put the head of the last Hoare on a spike._

**A/N: And now, the divisions are forming and the cracks are showing in the Faith alliance. Mern showed that he is capable of being politically underhanded, but then again, not exactly hard when you have the ear of the Faith's holy man. Regarding Darvin Hoare, he's becoming too much of a liability and it's only a matter of time before he does something stupid. As for Weslar Reyne, we're now seeing the enmity with House Lannister reaching dangerous levels. Loren better be careful.  
**

**And at last, we have the declaration of the Targaryens sent out prior to the canon Conquest. But with Jaenyx in the picture and the different circumstances, it's less about dominating Westeros and as one reviewer put it, it's THEIR conquest. Their signatures at the end of the declaration is proof of that. **

**As I said before, this will be a different Conquest and with the Starks siding with the dragons, Westeros will be changed... forever. **

**The next chapter- the big moment, the coronation! We finally see the Targaryens and Belaerys' become ruling houses. Be prepared for that, guys! **


	40. Jaenyx VIII

**A/N: Hope you all are staying safe and healthy in these uncertain times. We all long for some normalcy to return, but perhaps, this can make us appreciate those around us more. **

**Without ado, here is the coronation! **

JAENYX VIII

Jaenyx stood alongside Visenya, Orys, and Argella as they and lords from the former Storm kingdom, the riverlands, around the Blackwater Bay, and the Northern kingdom surrounded the table carved in the exact likeness of Westeros. He had been to this room before and remembered being quite impressed at how much detail Aegon had put into this carving of the continent. Fifty feet long, twenty-five feet wide, and four feet at its thinnest, any of the viewers could see all of the features unique to each of the geography of the Seven Kingdoms and all of its towns, fortresses, and cities. He had asked his good-brother what had prompted him to undertake such a project, with Aegon merely saying that he wanted to have an illustration of Westeros that couldn't be found in Oldtown from the last time he visited there and mostly because he was bored after training in the yard with Orys and learning how to be a lord from their father.

Aegon added that Visenya came up with the idea, since she didn't want to go back to that part of the Reach to satisfy her intellectual curiosity after that incident with the Redwyne knight who tried to assault her. In fact, she, Aegon, and Orys all pitched in by carving out different parts of Westeros from the wood.

But while Jaenyx enjoyed reliving that memory from before the war turned very serious for them, he had to refocus his attention to what would occur in this room. Today was a momentous occasion for them all, where they would no longer be simple lords and ladies in the Blackwater Bay.

Aegon, Rhaenys, Aerion, and Valaena all sat next to one another as they looked over the parchments and prepared to stamp their seals in token of their approval to the contents. Taygor helped draft the contents of the parchments that Aegon would place his seal on while Quenton Qoherys, the master-at-arms of Dragonstone and unofficial castellan, announced to all what was being done.

"Admitting to a strong desire to leave his current position and pass on the reins of rule to his heir, Aerion Targaryen, Lord of Dragonstone, shall resign from his present title and step down from all major duties to both House Targaryen and all those sworn to them. Henceforth and after much discussion with the family, he shall be known as Lord Aerion Targaryen of the Blackwater Bay," Quenton began as Aerion put his seal on the deed that confirmed his new status as a simple lord. But after doing so, Jaenyx and all others present could see that much relief in his face, as if a huge weight was lifted from his shoulders.

Confirming Aerion's seal, Quenton continued. "As stipulated by the will of Lord Aerion Targaryen, all titles belonging to the head of House Targaryen shall pass on to his heir, Lord Aegon Targaryen. From this day onward, he shall be known as Aegon, Lord of Dragonstone. In addition, Lady Rhaenys Targaryen, sister and wife of Aegon, shall be addressed as Rhaenys, Lady of Dragonstone."

Aerion and Valaena passed on the next set of parchments to their children, who after reading the contents stamped their own seals on them.

To facilitate the process for the ceremony later that day, all of the family had agreed that Aerion should step down as he wanted to and thus pass on the title to Aegon. That way, it gives him and Rhaenys a degree of legitimacy, which was important in the coming moons ahead.

"It is done," Quenton said as he turned to the one who he had trained hard with the sword and dipped his head to the new head of House Targaryen. "Lord Aegon."

"It's not over yet, Quenton," Aegon pointed out. "There is still much to be done before the day is out."

Keeping himself resolute, his good-brother and good-sister walked out of the room with the Westeros table, hands clasped with each other's. Jaenyx and Visenya came next, followed by Aerion and Valaena, and then Orys and Argella before everyone else filed out.

The next step before everything was complete was to head towards the Great Hall, where the coronation of Aegon and Rhaenys as the new King and Queen of All Westeros would take place. But before they did, they passed its entrance and led them all out to the outside of the walls of Dragonstone, the green fields that turned into sharp cliffs into the Blackwater Bay.

Earlier that day, Jaenyx took out his dragon horn and brought the family to the base of the Dragonmont. Visenya already knew what he was going to do, but the rest were skeptical. "Why did you bring us here, Jae?" Aegon asked him.

"We need more dragons, and there are two wild ones in this volcano," Jaenyx pointed to the Dragonmont's summit.

"Jae, who will ride them? Even if you do manage to make them come here, we're tow riders short," Rhaenys pointed out.

"What are you talking about? We have two riders right here," Jaenyx gestured to Aerion and Valaena, both of theirs turning wide.

"Jaenyx, I don't think that's a good idea," Valaena gulped. "I'm not a young woman anymore, and the same goes for my husband. We can't be good riders as you four are."

"And you don't have to," he replied, further confusing them. "It is the right of everyone carrying the blood of the dragon to know the joy of flying through the sky. You yourself have such blood in your veins, Lady Valaena. A lot more can be done with six dragons rather than four."

"But surely, you don't mean for us to fight alongside you all," Aerion was more enthusiastic about the possibility of taming his own dragon, something he couldn't for some strange reason, but was also apprehensive about his ability to ride a dragon into battle.

"Nonsense," Jaenyx assured him. "I mean, you two might have to do some fighting, but not to the degree that all of us would have to. Once you've tamed your dragons, you can just sit back and allow us to do the hard work while you wait until we call for you." Aerion nodded, satisfied. "Do you think this will work?"

"Have you no faith in your blood?" Jaenyx asked him. "Both of you shall be fine."

"What about Orys?" Aegon thought about their brother. "He might need a dragon."

"I thought so too," Orys spoke up. "But then, I realized that while I have the blood of the dragon in me, it's not potent enough for me to bond with a dragon. I know because while the dragons allow me to be near them, they wouldn't bend their necks for me."

"Maybe you'll have a chance with these dragons," Rhaenys said hopefully.

Orys shook his head. "No. I'll be fine, Rhae. And I think the effects of having the blood of the dragon manifested differently for me." He then held up Thunderfist. "A dragon has no equal against its enemies, and I'm the proof of that."

Aegon and Rhaenys smiled at their brother's confidence, as did their parents and Visenya. Nothing much could be said for Argella, who stuck closely with him and looked at him with a dreamy smile, while Jaenyx nodded approvingly before looking back at the Dragonmont.

"All right. I'm about to blow the horn. Are you ready?" Jaenyx asked them. All of the nodded, while Argella was about to witness the first taming of dragons in years and waited anxiously.

As Jaenyx held up the horn, Visenya grabbed the other side while making sure her hand was on her husband's. Looking into her eyes once more, he put his lips on the horn and blew it. A loud but droning sound flew through the calm morning air of the Dragonstone, but the sound of the horn seemed to dim in comparison to the imposing shape of the volcano. Many a time was he impressed at whoever first settled upon this island, as this was indeed a suitable place for dragons.

A few moments of silence passed as all looked around the sky and the summit. Suddenly, two roars pierced through the air, catching all of their attentions. Then, two large forms emerged from the summit and flew down towards the family. As they came closer, Jaenyx saw that the wild dragons were massive. _Not as big as Balerion, but comparable to Meraxes or Cloudwynd._

The two dragons landed in front of the family, their talons sinking against the side of the Dragonmont while staring at the ones with Valyrian blood, or all except one. Clawing their way towards them, Jaenyx saw Argella holding Orys' arm tightly, scared at how fast they were approaching them. _She never saw a dragon this close. It's only natural._

Before they both collided with them, the two let out very loud roars at them, but for those with the blood of the dragon, they knew that those roars were not hostile. It was a greeting from the dragons after they detected their blood in them.

Besides their large form, all of them could see that one was black as coal, with menacing green eyes. Jaenyx could sense that this dragon was very old, older than Cloudwynd, and that this dragon was a he. He was only slightly smaller than Balerion, but it looked like it had the strength to take him on if it ever came to that. What's more, it seemed to possess a more combative personality than Balerion's, as it was snapping its jaws in the air but away from them. _That might be useful._

As for the other dragon, it was also a he and his scales were of a pale grey-white color, which resembled the color of the morning mist. Almost as large as Meraxes and Cloudwynd, it had more temperance and looked at the new potential riders with curious eyes. _Might need to motivate that one more than the other, but at least we have two he-dragons. That'll certainly balance it out, _Jaenyx mused.

And that was one of the concerns he had. He knew that somehow, the dragons had to lay clutches of eggs in order to ensure that the dragons continue to exist in the world. It was even more important since the Doom wiped out all other dragon breeding sources besides the ones on this island. It would also ensure that the last dragonlords and Valyrians in the world had the ultimate protection from all threats. _Meraxes and Balerion would certainly become a mating pair, but which of these dragons would pair with Vhagar and Cloudwynd?_

Unexpectedly, Valaena was the first to step ahead of them and moved towards the two unclaimed dragons. Looking at both of them in their different-colored eyes, she then turned towards the grey-white one. Stepping towards him carefully, she reached forth with her hand and inched closer to his snout. The dragon stretched out his neck in order to come closer to her. Finally, her hand landed on his snout and she slowly started to rub it. The family watched the moment unfold, stunned but happy that their mother, stepmother, and good-mother had found a dragon to be close to. She rubbed his snout more comfortably as both began to get used to each of their presences. Then came the most important sign, the dragon bending his neck to Valaena.

Jaenyx, Visenya, Aegon, Rhaenys, Aerion, Orys, and Argella all smiled widely as they had just witnessed a dragon taming. Jaenyx looked at Aerion and saw a look in his eyes, the same one that Aegon and Rhaenys had when they wanted to bed each other and what Visenya exhibited when she wanted the same. However, he shook his head before his thoughts got any further. _I enjoy the couplings with Vis, but seeing your parents or other old people doing it… no_. He did see, by accident, his parents having intercourse and that was a bit unsettling for a child to witness their parents do that. That was until Jaenyx married Visenya and he began to see how… natural it was. But he still didn't want to think further when it came to older people.

While Valaena got comfortable with her new dragon, Aerion walked forward to the other one. Now that was when the others, including Valaena, got nervous, confusing Jaenyx. "Vis, what's going on?"

Visenya looked at him with worry. "There's a reason why the others didn't tell you about these dragons. They… we didn't tell you because we're scared because of that one," she pointed to the black dragon.

"What's wrong with it?" Jaenyx was getting perplexed.

"You know that Aenar Targaryen came with five dragons, with only Balerion surviving among them?"

"Of course. I was wondering what happened to them." With five dragons, the Targaryens could have had more than the three dragons he first saw them with. Not that he complained about their prowess in the last moons.

"Well… he's the reason for that," Visenya gestured to the black dragon.

Now that, Jaenyx didn't expect. "What exactly did he do?"

"So, Balerion is the youngest of the five dragons that came here. And the other four did have clutches of eggs, although they were already too old and had lived for centuries by that time," Aegon joined in on their conversation. "Do you want to know what happened to those eggs?"

Judging from their troubled expressions, only one conclusion came to Jaenyx's mind. "That dragon ate them?"

Rhaenys nodded darkly. "Only most of them. Our family was able to get two of them out before that black dragon could eat them too, and those eggs carried Meraxes and Vhagar."

Jaenyx looked at the black dragon with green eyes. "Where did that dragon come from then?"

"We don't know," Visenya said. "It could've been a dragon that came way before Aenar did and it must've seen our family's dragons as intruders. Fortunately for us, Balerion was able to match his combative and ravenous tendencies with his stubbornness and size, having grown larger than this black dragon."

"And you're afraid of what might happen should things go wrong?" Jaenyx finished, getting nods from all of them. Orys listened in, remaining silent as his siblings revealed to their good-brother why they were hesitant to approach the Dragonmont, while Argella was struck at how intelligent dragons really were.

"Call the dragons," Jaenyx said to Visenya as they reached to theirs through their bonds. Soon enough, Vhagar and Cloudwynd landed right behind the family, followed by Meraxes and Balerion. To those who knew the dragons, there was no way that they could be confused between the black dragon and Balerion, as the latter was bigger and had yellow eyes.

The four dragons looked to the grey-white one, growling softly in greeting, before they turned serious to the untamed black dragon. Balerion was snarling the loudest of them, having had to deal with this one since coming to Dragonstone. The family could only hope that none of the dragons would start fighting each other, as that would harm them too since they were in the middle.

But the black dragon, knowing that it was outnumbered and seeing the futility in fighting, eased off its contentious manners and stopped snapping its jaws in the air. Looking back to Aerion, who was inching closer to him again, the black dragon slowly clawed its way forward to their father while stretching out its neck. Still growling but more peaceably, it allowed Aerion to reach forth with his hand and carefully place it on his snout. He slowly and carefully ran his fingers on the snout, while the rest of the family and dragons looked on tensely. It wasn't until the black dragon bent its neck, with each passing moment leading up to it increasing the easiness amongst the others, did everyone relaxed.

Jaenyx let out a breath. "I'm surprised that dragon was even allowed to stay here after eating dragon eggs."

"After Balerion scared him off, it just flew back to the Dragonmont and didn't bother our family again," Aegon swallowed. "Let's just hope that it remains that way."

Everyone took a moment to let the dragon taming sink in. Then, Jaenyx had to ask his good-parents.

"What will you name them?" he inquired to both of them. "Names are important when it comes to newborn babes," he rubbed Visenya's belly, which grew larger and making her pregnancy a little more obvious like Rhaenys'. "The same applies to dragons."

Valaena took a moment to think upon that, since she never imagined her being able to tame a dragon. And yet, despite originally being a Velaryon, she had come full circle, from Targaryen back to Targaryen. Jaenyx only hoped that she picked a good one.

"How about I call you… Oceanwave?" She chose a name that paid homage to her Velaryon roots, which Jaenyx could understand. _Cloudwynd's not a Valyrian name, so I can't complain. _The grey-white dragon nodded his head, accepting the name, as she ran both of her hands across his head.

As for Aerion, Jaenyx hoped that he had picked a more Valyrian-sounding name. As he was a full-blooded Targaryen and had demonstrated much affinity to where his family came from, it only seemed natural.

Aerion ran his hand across the dragon's neck. "I sense a fury within you," he addressed the black dragon. "We much to work on, especially given your past misdeeds. But I now see you are able to control it. There's only one name that I can think of… Vermidrexes."

Jaenyx looked on with curiousness. Aerion had combined the name of Vermithor, one of the gods of Valyria, with that of either Tyraxes or Meraxes, other gods worshipped in the Freehold. The obvious way would have been to choose one name, but by combining the names of two or three fearsome gods in Valyria, Aerion was trying to pass on those traits onto this black dragon. That way, the dragon would not try to emulate himself after one god and the new name ties him to House Targaryen, since no one came up with that name before. He had to be impressed with Lord Aerion's thinking. _You crafty man._

And then came a moment of levity. Aerion and Valaena were at a loss on how to actually mount their dragons even though they've seen it happen so often with the children. While Aegon and Rhaenys went to help their mother, Visenya and Jaenyx went to help Aerion.

"I got you, kepa," Visenya gave her father a boost up while Jaenyx watched from the other side, making sure that he didn't lose his balance.

"So, I hold on to his spines and hold tightly?" It was as if a boy was learning how to ride a horse for the first time, causing a smile in Visenya.

"Exactly so. And I trust you know the Valyrian word for 'fly,'" Visenya said to him. But before he could open his mouth, she put her finger up. "Don't say it yet. You have to be ready first."

"And since this is your first time, try not to push yourself or the dragon beyond what you can handle," Jaenyx added. "Slowly ease yourself into it and use this as an opportunity to really know your dragon. Vermidrexes will be bonded to you for the rest of your life, so know him well."

"All right," Aerion was getting adjusted to sitting on dragonback. "How will that bond get strengthened between us?"

"It will happen over time, kepa," Visenya rubbed her hand against Vermidrexes' neck. "Soon, you'll be able to reach to him over long distances and you'll know each other's thoughts. But it'll take time, so go easy on yourself."

Jaenyx nodded before looking at his wife. "I think it's time we get them in the air."

"Let's do that," she agreed as they both walked to Vhagar and Cloudwynd. Seeing what they were doing, Aegon and Rhaenys mounted their dragons.

"Remember, hold on tightly," Visenya called out to Aerion. "Now, you can say it."

Aerion breathed in and out before tightening his grip on Vermidrexes' spines and yelled out, "Sōvegon!" Hearing the Valyrian command, the black dragon jumped upwards into the air and climbed quickly into the sky. Valaena then said the same command, causing Oceanwave to also jump into the air. Both of them yelped, as the force of the dragons pushing off the ground forced them to lose their seats on their backs before they rushed to sit back up.

Seeing the elder Targaryens in the air, the four also shouted "Sōvegon!" and joined them as they flew with the cool air blowing against their faces. They had spent all of that morning riding their dragons, keeping close to them as they got more used to flying.

Jaenyx could only think, _If they had known what it was to be a true dragon as they do now, perhaps many things would have been avoided. Such as them fully adapting to Westerosi ways._

By now, Jaenyx might have remained rooted in the ways of Valyria, but due to mainly Visenya and his interactions with Orys, he started to let go of his prejudice. However, the Faith wanted them dead and that was what they all wished.

Going back to the present, all six dragons landed in front of the gathered crowd of their supporters. Among them was Torrhen Stark, Brandon Snow, Colren Blackwood, Lord Dondarrion, Konno Haru, and Lord Massey. Besides Brandon, all looked on in wonder at the six creatures before them.

"Four dragons might have been limited in their capacity for bringing great change," Aegon began. "But with six dragons with us, that change is all but inevitable. You have all come here to participate in what would be the greatest campaign this continent has ever seen and the dragons shall be the facilitators. However, our alliance with the First Men ensures that the ways of Westeros will not be entirely dismantled, as the First Men traditions are what was natural to these lands before the Andals and the Faith came."

The lords, Torrhen, and Brandon listened on.

"After today, there shall be new rulers over these lands, but ones who will welcome anyone who wants to help bring great and good change, change that will end the squabbling between us and ensure a brighter future for our peoples," Aegon continued. "And because all of you have arrived here before we see the results, all of you shall be remembered for all time and be rewarded accordingly. Therefore, let us start that change today."

As their dragons flew back up in the air, they all reentered the Stone Drum and into the Great Hall, where more lords and supporters were gathered.

Fully armored Targaryen bannermen and Rahitheon men opened the doors, the rays of the sun brightening usually dim setting of the Great Hall. Jaenyx saw Aegon and Rhaenys took their hands in each other's as they began the slow procession to the dragonglass throne at the very front, with Jaenyx and Visenya directly behind them. Before he could go for his wife's hand, Visenya beat him to it and wrapped her fingers around his. Both of them smiled as the procession inched closer to the front.

Falling in behind them, from their positions at the entrance, were Aerion and Valaena Targaryen. Even though they were no longer Lord and Lady of Dragonstone, they were still the eldest Targaryens and retained their noble addresses, so they had every right to be part of this ceremony. Directly behind them was Orys Baratheon and Argella Durrandon, who were also family but did not have the Targaryen name. But everyone took notice to the Baratheon sigil hanging on the wall, the Durrandon stag with dragon fire and wings. It showed that the dragons would also rule in the stormlands.

Behind them was Torrhen Stark and Jocelyn Reed Stark, King and Queen in the North but only for a few moments more, alongside Brandon Snow and his direwolf Autumn. As they would eventually be tied to the dragons by union and how much importance that they showed already in the war, it was important for the Starks to be seen clearly supporting them in this occasion. All followed the train of the special robes trailing behind the figures of the dragons united. Aegon, Rhaenys, Aerion, and Valaena all wore red and black in the Targaryen colors, with the Targaryen three-headed dragon emblazoned on the back. Jaenyx and Visenya wore black and blue in the Belaerys colors, with the blue dragon breathing fire sewn on the back, while Visenya's also had red lining on it. He respected her wish to acknowledge her Targaryen heritage, as her strength was one of the things he loved about her.

Everyone was gathered for the coronation. Dozens of lords both great and minor houses from across the North, Riverlands, Stormlands, the Blackwater Bay, and Jaenyx's Valyrian vassals. Many followed the Targaryens, the Starks, Colren Blackwood and his trueborn heir, Chrass Rivers, Lord Dondarrion, Daemon Velaryon, and Crispian Celtigar while further many from the Riverlands to join the united cause of the Valyrians and First Men. It was truly a representation of a realm that was about to united under the dragons, and a promise that the low would overcome those who were above.

That was the not to say that at least some of Jaenyx's Valyrian vassals did not react well to his decision to go let Aegon's and Rhaenys' coronation go forward.

"We follow you, my lord! Not Lord Aegon, not Lady Rhaenys, you!" Aevor Rahitheon shouted in High Valyrian a few days before the coronation.

"The Targaryens might be dragons and they've displayed courage on the field, but they are not our lieges," Ragaemor Tarareon agreed. "Just because you married into them does not they have our allegiance."

"And why must you have the title of 'prince'?" Ragaemor's sister Maerys asked. "If Lord Aegon and Lady Rhaenys really want to crown themselves as king and queen of this backwater, then they should let you and Lady Visenya have the same title."

"If there are two kings and two queens in Westeros, it'll create competition further down the road," Visenya answered them. "While I and my husband will never fight Aegon and Rhaenys, the same cannot be said for those under us. Some might support us, others might support my siblings, and our whole unity would crumble apart. In such as this and in the future, we must remain united and stand together."

"I still don't like the idea of our lord being subordinate to Lord Aegon and Lady Rhaenys, but please take no offense," Aevor Rahitheon gave his honest thoughts. "We didn't follow him across thousands of miles of ocean just to see him be under those we don't very well."

"If you think that titles represent reality, then you're mistaken, Aevor," Jaenyx replied. "Yes, people will see a princely title as below a king, but as agreed with Aegon, I will not submit to him and I will not have to kneel before him. In addition, besides Visenya, Aegon and Rhaenys are very accustomed to the ways of Westeros, so it's best we follow someone who knows how those who live here think and act."

"So, you simply want us to follow a king who we still don't know much about despite his dragon?" Maerys inquired.

"Only for now," spoke Visenya. "While this war is going on and after everything is done, there might be much keeps and lands for all of you to claim. You can make your requests to Jaenyx and Aegon, and they will see them granted."

That won over a few of them, since they all knew that to be proper noble families, they had to possess properties and lands. And those belonging to the enemies were all too tempting to pass up. But Jaenyx and Visenya both saw that it was not enough, so they nodded to each other as they revealed their last card.

"If you are really concerned with my status, then I will allow Taygor to explain what will happen in the future," Jaenyx pointed to his cousin.

"I have spoken with one of the northmen, whose name is Brandon Snow, and he told many things that I would have never expected from someone who lived here," Taygor began.

While the lords and the Starks gathered on Dragonstone, Jaenyx saw that Taygor and Brandon began engaging in conversations that would last for hours. He didn't exactly what was discussed between them, but considering that they were both experts in the supernatural affairs of the world, he could only guess that their discussions were very stimulating for the both of them.

"He told me among other things that Jaenyx, my cousin, will be a king in his own right. It might take years for that to happen, but it will happen eventually. But it won't be these lands that he'll rule," Taygor revealed to them.

"How does this Brandon Snow know this will happen?" Aevor did not doubt Taygor, but he still practiced some skepticism regarding the types of magic in the world that others claimed to practice.

"I don't know how to explain this in simpler terms, Aevor, but it's a type of understanding between only those who can comprehend the mystics," Taygor explained. "Just like how warriors can other understand other warriors, those who know magic can understand others who can practice it."

"As logical as you're sounding, Taygor, do you think what this Brandon Snow says will come to pass?" Ragaemor Tarareon wanted to believe so.

"I do," Taygor nodded. "Which is why I will support the coronation of Aegon and Rhaenys Targaryen as King and Queen of Westeros. While I will not swear undying loyalty to them, I consider my actions as an investment in the future. We currently do not have any real power in the world besides dragons, so we must start by supporting the Targaryens. From there, we can build up our pedigrees and become influential in our own right. That's the only way we can stave off whatever opponents come our way in the future, by becoming powerful ourselves."

Jaenyx had to appreciate how Taygor was more than just someone who knew magic. He was a pragmatist and knew what words to say, although he didn't like that he said that he didn't consider Visenya family until she carried a child, which she did now.

Slowly, but surely, the Rahitheons, Tarareons, and Leniars gave their tacit approval for the coronation to go forward. That was why they had to win, as they were trusting Jaenyx and it was only right that he prove their trust correct.

"We will win," Visenya assured him as she sensed his thoughts.

Alongside all of the banners that hung on the wall, the horseman of the Tarareons, the blood fist of the Leniars, and the tortoise of the Rahitheons were among them, showing to all that the Valyrians were in support of the Targaryens. _But only because I and Taygor persuaded them._

As agreed upon, Taygor would preside over of the ceremony as the only present representative of the Valyrian gods.

"My lords of Westeros," Taygor began. "Humble warriors of Valyria, the First Men, and others who have seen the light, we are gathered here under the benevolence of the gods to bring forth a new era in this world." He eyed Torrhen and every lord who had gathered in the hall, gauging their reactions. "Before us we have Aegon, son of Aerion Targaryen and Valaena Targaryen, former Lord and Lady of Dragonstone. Current Lord of Dragonstone and head of House Targaryen. And Rhaenys, daughter of Lord Aerion and Valaena Targaryen. Lady of Dragonstone and head of House Targaryen along with Aegon. Along with the rest of House Targaryen and House Belaerys, bond to them by union, they control the greatest power this world has ever seen, a power that allowed Valyria to establish a realm that spanned much of Essos. And with the combined power of both houses, the dragons shall return to rule all under the heavens."

The weight of this occasion started to become known to Jaenyx. Just over a year ago, he had arrived at these shores expecting nothing less than the survival of his people. Now, he was attending something that would change the fabric of this land forever: the crowning of one ruler over Westeros. What's more, he was going to be at the center of it all alongside his new family. Visenya remained dignified before the proceedings, but she was just as serious as he was and both stood still as everything continued.

"There is no precedent for any claim to the lordship of all Seven Kingdoms on this land," Taygor continued. "But too long has there been competing claims over one patch of land after another and the result can be seen from the scars that the dragonlords carry as they fought battle after battle. And now, this land wants to eject them out of misguidedness. The cycle must end and the only solution is for one king, one ruler, one queen, to hold lordship over these realms. Only then may we all know an ounce of peace. Therefore, House Targaryen through Aegon and Rhaenys Targaryen, Lord and Lady of Dragonstone, will lay a new claim, a claim over all of Westeros and put an end to the divisions on it."

Getting the cue, Aegon and Rhaenys walked up the stairs to the platform where the dragonglass throne was and knelt before Taygor.

Whispering a silent prayer to the gods of Valyria for wisdom to descend upon the soon to be rulers, Taygor gestured for servants, one of whom carried a crown that was a simple Valyrian steel circlet with big square-cut rubies. The other was also a Valyrian steel circlet, but with smaller and rounder rubies that was embedded all round and had a dragon head and wings in a circular form.

He then gestured to his cousin, who along with Visenya joined their family on the platform before the dragonglass throne. Jaenyx stood in front of Rhaenys while Visenya stood in front of Aegon, showing that they were all equal before all those present.

Taygor picked up the big crown from the waiting servant girl first and gave it to Visenya, who held it steady in her hands as she walked over to the kneeling Lord of Dragonstone, but who only held that title for just a few more seconds. This type of ceremony had never been performed before, as Aegon and Rhaenys were to be crowned together and not one king being crowned by a septon while the king in turn crowned his queen. It was to show that none of them were above each other

"With this crown of Valyrian steel, an essence of Valyria, comes an oath, a solemn vow that will echo throughout the annals of time. Aegon of House Targaryen, do you so swear to bring our people and these realms to greatness. To preserve and defend them as the ultimate protector and servant of the gods above, till your dying breath. To destroy their enemies and to defend what is precious to us all?" Taygor asked.

"Till my dying breath," Jaenyx heard Aegon answer solemnly, and he knew that despite not knowing what lay ahead for him and his family, he was going to do what it took to protect them. Visenya then placed the ruby-studded Valyrian steel circlet on Aegon's head as his cousin watched.

Taygor turned to all those gathered. "I now proclaim Aegon of House Targaryen, King of All Westeros and Shield of His People. Caretaker of the Valyrians, the First Men, the Andals, and the Rhoynar. Lord of the Seven Kingdoms. The Black Dread himself. Long may he reign!"

"LONG MAY HE REIGN!" came the elated cheers from all those attending. Jaenyx became more impressed with how his cousin was turning out, as he had chosen his words carefully. But by including the Rhoynar, he was now signaling to the progeny of Princess Nymeria that they would be under the rule of the dragons. _Something we'll have to sort out after the Faith is dealt with._

Running his hand through his cleanly-cut silver hair, Taygor shifted to the other kneeling figure. Gesturing for the page boy to come forward, he picked up the other crown of Valyrian steel and rubies arranged around the dragon shape and passed it to Jaenyx, who held it steady over his good-sister.

"With this crown of Valyrian steel formed around a dragon comes an oath, a solemn vow that will echo throughout the annals of time. Rhaenys of House Targaryen, do you so swear to bring our people and these realms to greatness. To preserve and defend them as the ultimate protector and servant of the gods above, till your dying breath. To destroy their enemies and to defend what is precious to us all?"

"Till my dying breath," Rhaenys answered back, eyes shut and waiting patiently. Mere seconds passed before Jaenyx placed the crown on his good-sister's head.

Taygor returned his gaze to those gathered. "I now proclaim Rhaenys of House Targaryen, Queen of All Westeros and Shield of Her People. Caretaker of the Valyrians, the First Men, the Andals, and the Rhoynar. Lady of the Seven Kingdoms. The Silver Dragon herself. Long may she reign!"

"LONG MAY SHE REIGN!" There were some who were initially doubtful of her capacity to rule, but after seeing and hearing of her exploits at Raventree Hall and how she put those lords in her place without resorting to outward violence, all doubts disappeared as all saw her intensity matching her brother-husband's.

Standing up from their knelt positions, Aegon and Rhaenys stood regally in front of all in the Great Hall of Dragonstone. But the ceremony was not done, as Jaenyx and Visenya, having fulfilled their roles in showing that none were above the other, kneeled before the new king and queen.

Taygor gestured for another servant girl and page boy to bring forth two other Valyrian steel crowns. Both were shaped with a dragon head on the front and dragon wings on the sides, but one of them had sapphire eyes and a larger sapphire in its mouth to reflect blue fire. The other had its head and wings colored orange, with rubies and sapphires alternating on its sides and its dragon head with topaz eyes and a larger one in its mouth.

Rhaenys took the sapphire crown while Aegon took the topaz one, signaling to all what will happen next. Taygor went for his cousin first.

"With this crown of Valyrian steel formed into a dragon comes an oath, a solemn vow that will echo throughout the annals of time. Jaenyx of House Belaerys, do you so swear to bring our people and these realms to greatness. To preserve and defend them as the great protector and agent of the gods above, till your dying breath. To destroy their enemies and to defend what is precious to us all. And to be present through the good and bad?" Taygor had slightly modified the oaths to reflect the differences.

"Till my dying breath," Jaenyx responded before feeling Rhaenys placed the sapphire crown on his head.

"I now proclaim Jaenyx of House Belaerys, Prince of Sphinx Rest and Sword of His People. Defender of the Valyrians, the First Men, the Andals, and the Rhoynar. The Blue Dragon himself. Long may he reign!"

"LONG MAY HE REIGN!"

Sphinx Rest was the new name for Vulture's Roost, which Jaenyx and Visenya will visit when the odds were more in their favor. As agreed upon before the ceremony, they would have Aevor rebuild the dilapidated castle into a mountain fortress fit for dragonlords. _The key is not to take land already valuable, but to take land that is worthless and make it valuable yourself. That's what most people miss, since an investment of effort and time can turn a patch of unfarmed land into the most fertile of all,_ Jaenyx thought.

Aegon then took the crown from the page boy and walked over to Visenya, holding it over her head. Jaenyx saw then share a moment of affection, but as brother and sister proud of where they were now. _But we still have much to do._

"With this crown of Valyrian steel formed into a dragon comes an oath, a solemn vow that will echo throughout the annals of time. Visenya of Houses Belaerys and Targaryen, do you so swear to bring our people and these realms to greatness. To preserve and defend them as the great protector and agent of the gods above, till your dying breath. To destroy their enemies and to defend what is precious to us all. And to be present through the good and bad?" Taygor repeated.

"Till my dying breath," Visenya answered as Aegon placed the topaz crown on her head.

"I now proclaim Visenya of Houses Belaerys and Targaryen, Princess of Sphinx Rest and Sword of Her People. Defender of the Valyrians, the First Men, the Andals, and the Rhoynar. The Orange Dragon herself. Long may she reign!"

"LONG MAY SHE REIGN!"

Standing up with Visenya, she and Jaenyx shared a smile with both Aegon and Rhaenys, now declared royalty before all those present. They both turned to their allies, as they all saw the four dragons transform from lords and ladies to a king, queen, prince, and princess.

But alas, one more part of the ceremony had to be completed. As they agreed, this was where Torrhen Stark would make his fealty official. Stepping forward, he unsheathed Ice, the Valyrian steel ancestral sword of House Stark, and knelt before the northern lords, Valyrians, and others while keeping his hands on the pommel. Jocelyn Stark knelt alongside him.

"As the ruler of the Kingdom of the North and on behalf of House Stark, I, Torrhen Stark, Lord of Winterfell and King in the North, do surrender my claim to the Crown of Winter and swear undying loyalty to Houses Targaryen and Belaerys as the new rulers over all Westeros. I shall follow all of their commands and execute their will to the best of my abilities, till my dying breath," Torrhen declared while Jocelyn silently acknowledged it.

Brandon Snow and the Manderlys nodded their heads in approval, as the first step of the plan was now complete. However, Jaenyx could see that some of the northern lords were still bothered at seeing their king kneel before southern rulers, but considering their presence and how far south they had come, they were in no position to complain and thus accepted the new circumstances.

Aegon, Rhaenys, Jaenyx, and Visenya all descended down the steps towards Torrhen and Jocelyn, with Taygor trailing behind. Stopping before them, Aegon laid his hand on Torrhen's shoulder while Rhaenys did the same to Jocelyn.

"As the new ruler of Westeros and all of its realms and people, I accept your oath of allegiance," Aegon said to him. "And may our pact of ice and fire be consummated in due time. Rise, Torrhen of House Stark, Lord of Winterfell and our Warden of the North."

Jaenyx learned that the title of warden meant "guardian" and was used to describe certain small regions in Westeros. By making Torrhen the Warden of the Northern Kingdom, he had now set a precedent for others to follow while confirming his supremacy over the northern houses.

"And Jocelyn of House Stark shall henceforth be Lady of Winterfell and Wardeness of the North," Rhaenys announced.

Torrhen and Jocelyn both rose, looking upon their new rulers with seriousness but at peace since the main obstacle between them was now overcome. _Now, we must have a Stark daughter join us very soon, _Jaenyx mused.

Brandon Snow unsheathed his sword and thrust it into the air. "THE PACT OF ICE AND FIRE!" he shouted.

The rest of the northern lords, the Valyrians, the riverlords, the stormlords, and others all raised their swords and axes. "ICE AND FIRE!" they all repeated.

While the coronation was over, all knew that this was only the beginning, for they still had much to do.

_Have to get used to being a prince now, _Jaenyx thought as he looked upon his new princess. _She'll probably bash my head if I use that in front of her_. Looking at Visenya, he saw a combination of warning in her eyes and also of desire for her new prince. _Best be prepared._

**A/N: A lot to cover in this chapter. And yes! Aegon and Rhaenys have been crowned as King and Queen, Jaenyx and Visenya as Prince and Princess, and we have two more dragons joining the fight. But unlike normal arrangements, Jaenyx and Visenya are not below Aegon despite the different titles, and they both will rule over their own lands eventually. But for now, they will build up their own reputations and power before that happens. **

**I hope I covered most of the coronation logistics well, the dragon taming, the official titles, and the crowns themselves. Also, we have Torrhen kneeling before Aegon, but instead of avoiding a fight, he is investing in the future, as are Jaenyx's vassals. The Starks will change Westeros alongside our dear dragons. **

**On another note, I hope the backstory behind that black wild dragon made sense. The dragons here are Cannibal and the Grey Ghost, the wild dragons introduced during the Dance (I chose not to include Sheepstealer since he wasn't born yet). And the naming took some time, but I hope it's good.**

**This is only part one, as part two will cover more details and the formation of the Small Council. Things are now rolling. **


	41. Rhaenys IX

**A/N: In light of these uncertain times, we can only hope to stay safe and sane with the changed circumstances. Hope you are all doing. **

**Here is the chapter before we resume the war. **

RHAENYS IX

While the rest of the lords from all of the lands sworn to them had been busy with the feasts and celebrations for the new King and Queen of Westeros, which had become quite tiresome for Rhaenys, she did her best to put on a smile and bear with it. _Will this be my new reality? _She might have still liked to interact with other people and enjoy festivities even after everything that had happened, but it would be a while before she got adjusted to her new settings. _I don't even know how to be a queen, despite all the stories I've heard._

Looking to Jaenyx and Visenya, who were whispering in each other's ears while drinking from their goblets, most would see them as having the time of their life with their new titles as "Prince" and "Princess." However, Rhaenys knew both of them well and saw that behind their smiles hid uncertainty, the kind that she felt at that moment.

Just moons ago, House Targaryen and House Belaerys were the last dragonlord houses of Valyria. Today, they were made into royal houses through the intervention of the northern lords, the stormlords, the riverlords who had sided with Colren Blackwood, and the lords around the Blackwater Bay. All of that would not have been possible if it weren't for Brandon Snow, who she was being quite open with the servant girls and other ladies who were attending via his direwolf Autumn. Naturally, many of them were scared by the red-brown creature, but Brandon's smile and having Autumn lick their hands made them less frightened. _One thing that I will say in his favor. He's no brooder like his brother Lord Torrhen is._

Going back to their present situation, Aegon, herself, Jaenyx, and Visenya were now royals, while she and her brother-husband were queen and king. In the process, Torrhen, whose house had ruled as kings for thousands of years, had surrendered his crown because he trusted his brother that much. She made sure to find him after the coronation was done.

"Lord Stark," Rhaenys was going to have to get used to saying that.

"Your Grace," Torrhen addressed her while still getting used to his new title. The same went for her.

"I just wanted to let you know that even though you've sworn fealty to our family, you won't be treated as a simple subordinate," Rhaenys tried to assure him.

Torrhen nodded in gratitude. "I appreciate you saying that, Your Grace. And I know that with Brandon helping all of us through the whole process, I should expect good results from our pact."

Rhaenys gave a small smile. "Of course. What I wanted to tell you was that while you stepped down as King in the North, you don't have to do anything else. You don't have to actually surrender the Crown of Winter itself. Keep it as your family's keepsake, but just don't wear it. As the First Men of the North will play an important role in the future, you can expect special privileges from us."

"Again, I appreciate you saying that, my queen. But, I suggest you reserve those thoughts for when the festivities are over and we move onto more serious matters."

That was when Rhaenys knew that she was going to enjoy working alongside the overlord of the North. _I shall like his frankness as a queen._

"Fair enough, my lord," Rhaenys responded.

While she might have not possessed any experience ruling as a royal, Rhaenys was not going to step back from what had just happened. Brandon Snow wanted this happen and he had abilities that no man she knew possessed. She had abilities that only her ancestor Daenys Targaryen possessed, which could only mean that the gods had intervened. Combined that with how many people had trusted her and her family to keep them safe and roll back their enemies, it would have been a betrayal for her to not step up to the task. _May the gods guide me and the others towards peace and allow us to witness the final resolution, _she prayed.

"What are you thinking, my queen?" Aegon turned to her.

Rhaenys looked at her husband, unrestrained desire filling her as she stared at Aegon. "My king," she said breathlessly.

"You feeling all right?" Aegon asked with some concern.

She put a hand on his cheek. "Don't worry, Egg. Just thinking."

"About the future?" Rhaenys nodded. "I am worried too, but with six dragons in the sky and with our babe on the way," Aegon rubbed her belly, where her pregnancy was becoming a little more obvious, just like with Visenya. "What could possibly stop us?"

Rhaenys wanted to say that she had more worries, but considering that they had just been coronated, there was a time to worry and a time to let the worries of the world go for even a short moment. This was the latter.

"You're right," Rhaenys nodded before pulling Aegon into a kiss, prompting cheers from the hall at their new rulers showing affection for each other. "You really know what to say, don't you?"

"Hey, it's me," Aegon cracked a grin.

_How could my love for Egg just keep growing? _She had loved Aegon since she was eight, but the past moons had made her love him even more. Carrying their child certainly made her longing her husband more, just like with Visenya.

Pretty soon, the festivities were over as their guests started to become numb from all of the wine they drunk and became drowsy from all of the food they consumed. Aegon had told his parents to not spare any expense when it came to the feast, as might be their last one in a while before marching off to war again.

Torrhen and Jocelyn, now Warden and Wardeness of the North, were granted the guest quarters of Dragonstone and from how Rhaenys saw it, things would become quite… heated between them that night. She knew for certain that Visenya and Jaenyx would engage in some rough lovemaking that night also in order to celebrate their new titles, but it must've been the pregnancy doing much of the thinking for her. _I'm certainly feeling that way._

Aegon and Rhaenys crossed the hall to the door while some of their guests remained and exited into the hallway. But for some reason, she could feel Aegon forming up a ball of nervousness that would swell up inside him at what had happened today. _It's not because of the coronation. _She knew that her husband went through the ceremony as seriously as he could and could feel the weight of the crown he now wore. But for him to feel nervous… _What's going on?_

"Egg," Rhaenys said softly. "What's the matter?"

He forced a smile. "Nothing, Rhae… Let's go to our chambers."

They walked in silence towards their room, side by side but eyes kept straight ahead. Every errant sound - from the sounds that they made with their foots stepping on the smooth volcanic floor, to his breaths, to the winds of the Blackwater Bay groaning against the castle walls. They all pounded in their ears like a raging storm. But each time he wished to speak, she saw that he couldn't. _What does he want to say?_

Wordlessly, he opened the door, allowing Rhaenys to enter before he did and shutting it behind him. An overwhelming cold washed over Aegon. She could see that her mighty Targaryen king was suddenly desirous of warmth, of the life-giving heat from the one he loved. _And I want his warmth also._ "Rhae…"

When he himself turned, Rhaenys made sure to stand close to him as she outstretched her arms. She opened wide to welcome his embrace. She knew what he needed and knew what to do in order to make him feel more at ease. "Egg, my love," she cooed, accepting him to the crook of her neck.

Aegon inhaled the familiar scent of the soft skin before kissing her neck. "Gods, I love you." "I adore you," he choked out, dropping more kisses on her neck. Making her shiver with happiness. "Today was a glorious day, but I've never felt so heavy in my life."

"Why is that?" Rhaenys kept embracing him.

"So much has happened already and so much more will happen before we know some peace," Aegon admitted. "I know that I said that everything will be fine as long as we're together, but thinking about it just makes it very heavy on my mind."

"Shhh…" One hand wrapped around his back, other in his hair, both stroked him gently. Rhaenys' touch more soothing than the softest of beds. "Let's not worry about it now, my dragon. We're here, alone in our home… and with all of us here." She pulled back, gazing at him with those wondrous violet eyes. "I just want you to be my Aegon. And I, your Rhae."

Smile curling in his lips, Aegon's heart skipped. The young dragon king, unable to resist the welcoming warmth of his dragon, leaned forward to kiss his wife. Arms tight around her still trim waist while hers weaved into his hair. Their tongues danced together much as their dragons did, playing high in the air.

Unfortunately, the compulsion to breath overcame their need for the other and they broke apart. He inhaled quick breaths, dropping his forehead on hers. "I love you, Rhae."

She seemed to melt further in his embrace. "I love you too, Egg." With all that was happening, she knew that it was comforting for her king to hear her call him by his childhood name. It was one of the things that remained of a youth that Aegon sometimes longed for, a youth that would rapidly disappear in due time like all things in life. "You are mine, my King."

It wasn't possessive to his ears, simply the deepest comfort. "Good. I'd be lost without you."

Rhaenys kissed his cheek. Eyes glowing with conviction. "You'll never have to find out ever. I'll always be here, and our babe." Turning, she gazed at their quarters. Boots clicking on the stone tiles as she ran a hand along the dusty surface of the well-carved table, the one they had used since they married under the gods of Valyria. "This has always been comfortable."

Aegon shrugged, not really caring for the table. "Well, we're on a volcano after all. Whether it be summer or winter, we'll always have the fire to warm us here and the winds to cool us."

She took a moment to look around their chambers. "If we're going to live like a proper king and queen, we might have to make things more decorative. Probably get new sheets for our bed, get a bigger one so that our children might sleep with us if they are scared, a bigger table so that we might eat our meals in private away from the others, and maybe our own hearth. That way, we can have the comforts of the castle in our room and we'll never have to leave, thus allowing us to have more time."

Shrugging again, Aegon leaned against the walls. "We'll see what we can do about that, after the war is done. And after our babe is born."

Closing her eyes, Rhaenys could only dream about what their babe would be like. "If our babe is a healthy boy like his father, with strong arms, soft hair, and piercing eyes, then we should name him after you."

"That'll be nice," Aegon kept holding her waist. "But maybe we could save that for when we have another son, if we do."

Rhaenys's heart melted at what he just said. _So he wants to have more than one child. Like me. _"So what name do you have in mind?"

"How about we name him after someone we care for? Someone who we knew just as long as Orys?"

There was only one person that came to Rhaenys' mind. "Daemon?"

"Yeah, yeah," Aegon nodded. "Whatever our children do, they will be good at it. And Daemon is the example that all must follow."

"Daemon Targaryen," the name rolled off of her tongue like a well-written song. "I like it. And if it's a girl?"

"Only names that I can think of are that of our mother, Daenys, or Elaena. While I really hope to have a son, since our pact with the north depends on it, just know that I will love our child and we will watch him or her grow."

Rhaenys pecked his lips. "I know we will."

"Thinking about it makes me so happy for our future niece or nephew," Aegon said with giddiness, which surprised Rhaenys. _That is certainly a side to Egg that I haven't seen, till now._

"If it's a boy, then he will be a great warrior just like his parents. If it's a girl, it'll be a great beauty of Valyria just like Vis," Rhaenys declared. "But I'm a bit jealous because unlike us, they won't have to worry about what kind of child they will have."

"I'm sure that they don't really care," Aegon answered. "As long as the child is healthy, everything will be fine. But… after we have a son, then we won't have to worry anymore."

"Agreed," Rhaenys accepted. "And I also hope that the girl our son will be betrothed to will be a great beauty of the First Men. Our children deserve nothing less."

"Of course," Aegon agreed. "A dragon must have something to match it, and that applies to us. Once this is all over, we'll be doing a lot of things to make our family not worry so much as we did. It'll be great."

Of that, Rhaenys had no doubt. _He doesn't need a crown to be a great father, but our children will be in good hands if he continues like this. _Her smile changed into a sultry smirk… one that she knew that he knew quite well. "You know, I saw Lord and Lady Stark go into their chambers looking a little more heated than usual. We both know what Jae and Vis are doing at this moment. And it's been a few weeks since we…" Rhaenys wiggled her eyebrows.

Aegon's eyes darkened. "Oh, yes. What will we do with the time?"

The mischievous smirk on her face only widened. "Oh Egg, I didn't mean to disturb you. I'm sure you must attend to your kingly duties so late at this hour."

She saw his eyes turn, and saw that he was starting to play along. "Oh? You may be right… but someone as pretty as you can gain my interest."

"And how would I do that?" Her words were innocent, but the look in her eyes were anything but. "I certainly don't want you to squander what energies you must devote to the well-being of your people."

"With those teats?" Aegon's hands ghosted down her curves, cupping her breasts "I'm surprised he hasn't claimed you as I am about to." He pulled her flush against him, drawing a gasp from Rhaenys. "You're not a maiden, are you?"

She nodded vigorously. "No, my Lord. No man has touched me before you." _And he's the only man that I will allow to touch me._

"Good." Unable to resist, he roared in. Mouth nipping and sucking and tonguing the creamy column of her neck. Fingers desperately going for the skirts of her dress, seeking to make contact with her wetness.

When his touch hit her folds, brushed against her nub, Rhaenys gasped. "Yes, Aegon… oh my love…" Just the hint of contact ended all hope to keep up the charade. So he didn't. Pulling away to a displeased pout, only to simply yank up her dress and pulling it off of her.

Rhaenys' smallclothes were already soaked. Her breasts slowly becoming heavy and full in preparation for their child entering the world. Aegon's mouth watered. "Mine." Sliding the offending fabric off, Aegon counted himself the luckiest man in the world. Pushing her to the bed, tossing her on like a ragdoll and climbing on top of her. Assaulting her breasts with his tongue, drawing out the most delicious moans and muffled screams. It wasn't enough for him. _Hells, it's not enough for me._

"I need to be inside you," Aegon begged.

Her violet eyes turned dark with complete lust. Hands frantic, she tore at his clothes. Rips and tears and buttons popping creating more work for the seamstresses as she bared Aegon's body. Aegon hissed when she went straight for his cock, dainty fingers wrapping around his smooth, thick shaft. "Inside me now, Black Dragon," she called him by Taygor's chosen title.

Growling, Aegon pinned her to the bed and thrust inside her in one move. Catching her cries of pleasure with his own lips. The kiss grew languid and passionate while he rocked into her. Slow and gentle, in contrast to the frenzied lust of before. Aegon wanted her, wanted Rhaenys to know that they would always be together.

Eyes opening, she locked them with his. The new King of All Westeros staring into the glittering amethyst pools that entranced him from the moment he laid eyes on her. No matter the power of the kiss, the rocking of her body as he thrusted into her tight heat, never did they break eye contact.

She knew what Aegon was thinking: that she was breathtaking and utterly spellbinding, what enchantresses were made of. As for Rhaenys, all she could look upon was the beautiful form of her husband and how the scars on his skin added to the allur. Aegon loved her, loved her more than anything. His love. His life. His everything. The mighty dragon that had won his heart, every second of lovemaking hoping to show her just how much he truly did. "I love you," he whispered, head dropping to her ear. "I love you." It was feelings that she reciprocated in kind, feelings that she had since she was a child.

Suddenly, he heard her rasping moan, back arching. "I… fuck… love you… too… oh Egg!"

Feeling his seed spill inside of her, Aegon slid off of his wife and rubbed her belly once more. However, with the weight of the day bearing down on them and sensing what the next held, they fell asleep in each other's arms, their first as king and queen.

* * *

In the chamber with the wooden table of Westeros, Rhaenys sat alongside Aegon as the influential lords sworn to them had gathered around. Besides Jaenyx and Visenya their mother and father, and Orys and Argella, among those that were invited were Brandon, their cousin Daemon, Crispian Celtigar, Torrhen, Jocelyn, Taygor, and the Harus.

With the coronation over, it was time to make things more formal for the forces under them. The previous arrangement would not be feasible in the foreseeable future, and those with royal titles had to implement an adequate organization in order to make their affairs run smoother, an organization that they intended to implement.

"My lords, thank you all for coming," Rhaenys began. "And on behalf of House Targaryen, and I believe that I also speak for House Belaerys," Jaenyx nodded his approval. "I thank you all for supporting us as your new rulers."

"We decided to support you because you and your family represents great change, Your Grace," Torrhen replied. "And I trusted my brother enough to make such a momentous decision."

"And we shall prove that trust accordingly, my lord," Aegon spoke. "But I must admit that I am at a loss."

"What do you mean, King Aegon?" Jocelyn inquired.

"I might be your king and ride a dragon, but while our first concern is winning the war, we must have an eye of the future," Aegon stood up. "Once the war is done, there will be much reorganization, much building and rebuilding, and much formalization under the new realm. When it comes to matters such as how to handle ships or how to properly allocate harvests, I confess that I don't have the knowledge to adequately ensure that those affairs will run smoothly for our new people. And let's face it. A ruler cannot rule on his or her own."

"So, the purpose of this meeting is to come up with a solution with how to best advise your rulers," Rhaenys finished for him. "In times of war and peace, there must be a realm to rule. Do you have any suggestion?"

"I have one," Jaenyx joined in. Rhaenys nodded for her good-brother to continue. "In the days of Valyria, there was a council made up of the forty dragonlord families. These members were each referred to as Lord Freeholder and all had a say in how the Freehold was governed. Each dragonlord family represented a different interested in the Freehold and thus, Valyria was able to ensure that all of its participating groups had a voice when matters of importance were discussed."

"And you're suggesting that such a system could also work in these times, Your Grace?" Colren Blackwood asked.

"Not in its pure form, but we could adapt it to the conditions in Westeros," Jaenyx responded. "Each interest was represented, but it might not be feasible for a potential council to have members representing different geographical regions of this continent, as each region might have competing interests and thus decreasing efficiency due to internal conflicts."

"I agree with Prince Jaenyx," Crispian Celtigar bobbed his head. "If we were to form a council to rule over the realm, we must organize it based on each area of importance. Someone must be the chief advisor to our king and queen, so the person with the best ability should fill that role. Same thing in other matters such as those relating to coin, laws, warfare, and the sea. Each post will be filled with people who are best qualified for the post's duties."

Aegon, Rhaenys, Jaenyx, Visenya, and everyone else nodded at Lord Crispian's suggestions.

"And regarding the titles of each position, it should reflect one's mastery over the area in question," Daemon added. "Such as… Master of Coin."

"I like that, Daemon," Aegon concurred. "So… regarding the Master of Coin, I can only think of one person for the post." He turned to Crispian. "As the wealthiest house directly under Dragonstone and having seen you handle large amounts of coin successfully, you are the natural choice for the first holder of the post."

Crispian bowed his head. "I'm honored, Your Grace."

"Daemon," Aegon turned to their cousin. "You know how to command ships better than anyone I know. Therefore, I will appoint you as my first Master of Ships."

"Thank you, Your Grace," Daemon smiled while dipping his head.

"So for laws… that's going to be tricky," Rhaenys admitted. "Most of Westeros has been governed by the laws of the Faith, but as we are a force that is actively fighting against the Starry Sept, the realm will have need for new laws. Laws that will combine the First Men traditions and those of Valyria."

"In that case, Your Grace," Brandon joined in. Everyone eyed him, expecting him to nominate himself. "That post should go to my brother, Torrhen Stark."

Rhaenys was astonished, as was Torrhen. "What is your reason for picking him, Lord Snow?"

"Besides being the former King in the North and now Warden of the North, Torrhen is the head of House Stark, who had ruled the North for thousands of years and had resisted the Andals thanks to Theon Stark," Brandon explained. "If there is one house who is familiar with how the laws of the First Men work, it is the Starks and Torrhen can help lay down the laws that will guide all of Westeros in the future."

"But surely, such a post might be strenuous for your brother, as he has duties in the North," Rhaenys pointed out.

"His son and heir, Bennard Stark, is capable of running Winterfell and the Northern kingdom on his own," Brandon said. "Most importantly, you need a strong representative of the First Men if you want to successfully implement the First Men laws in Westeros again."

"Couldn't the same be said of Colren Blackwood?" Visenya asked Brandon.

"Your Graces," voiced the Lord of Raventree Hall. "I will consider it a high honor to advise you on matters of the realm here and in the future. But if we're talking strength and ability, then I must concede to Torrhen Stark. I have to build up my house's strength if I am to make my family relevant in the new realm."

"And you shall succeed, Lord Colren," Aegon nodded. "Which reminds me. You, along with House Mallister and House Darry, have kept faith with our family when the Riverlands were temporarily overrun. You resisted the Lannisters and their turncoats and held them off. There is only one reward that I can think of when it comes to such bravery in the face of danger."

The Lord of Raventree Hall looked at Aegon, surprised. "Your Grace?"

"As the most powerful house in the region at the moment," Rhaenys stated. "We would like to make you the overlords of the riverlands, with your new title being Lord Paramount of the Riverlands while your current title shall be acknowledged as a high one. Do you accept, my lord?"

She could see that the head of House Blackwood had not anticipated such a reward, despite him being reserved from the first time she had met him. However, the Blackwoods were Old Gods' worshippers and this was the first step to empowering the First Men south of the Neck.

"I do accept, Your Grace. Thank you… for knowing my family's sacrifice," Colren answered with gratefulness.

"We would be shit rulers if we didn't know how to do that," Aegon said bluntly, causing chuckles in the chamber. "But moving on, your argument for having Torrhen Stark be the first Master of Laws for Westeros is rooted in good sense, Lord Snow. It will be quite refreshing if all of our lords believed in, what was it? 'He who passes the sentence should swing the sword.'"

"That is correct, Your Grace," Torrhen confirmed.

"So, Lord Stark, I hereby offer you the post as the first Master of Laws. Do you accept?"

Torrhen looked to Brandon again, who nodded, before looking back to Aegon. "I do accept, Your Grace."

"Excellent," Aegon grinned before moving on. "Next, we must select a Master of War. It must be someone who understands battle tactics and can command armies for extended periods while having a well-rounded knowledge of warfare. Any suggestions?"

"Your Grace," Argella put her hands on the table. "I nominate Orys Baratheon, your brother, to that post."

"He does have merit, Aegon," Visenya added. "Not only did he command the stormlords to victory, he also led a successful expedition by sea against the corsairs in the Stepstones. He knows how to fight on land and sea while utilizing his war hammer to great effect."

"Not only that, he survived being tortured by Loren Lannister," Jaenyx joined in, to everyone's surprise. "You won't find anyone more qualified for that post."

Seeing his sister and good-brother throw their support for Orys was more than enough for Aegon to make the final decision, but Rhaenys looked to him and also decided to put in her own words of support. "He is also the blood of the dragon. It's only fitting that the dragons are seen commanding troops in the field. The enemy already fear him and imagine what he'll do once he can command armies again."

Aegon and Orys beamed to each other. "Then it's settled. Orys, will you be the first Master of War for Westeros?"

"Yes, brother," Orys replied. Since they were family, they could be so familiar with each other.

"But what about other areas of expertise?" Rhaenys looked to Jaenyx, whose skills and experience called for him to have a post. "Everyone has heard of what my good-brother and sister accomplished at Casterly Rock. Moreover, he's been handling all affairs related to gathering information on our behalf since we landed on Westeros. We must have someone who will continue to do so."

"I concur with Her Grace," Brandon said. "Prince Jaenyx has shown a particular canny when it comes to snatching whispers from the mostly unlikely sources, and he's shown to be an expert in the secret warfare. We need someone like him to advise King Aegon and the next kings after him on such matters."

"Then it is settled," Aegon turned to his good-brother. "Will you be my first Master of Whisperers, Jae?"

"Of course, Egg," Jaenyx nodded enthusiastically, pleased that Aegon remembered his promise. "But I would like to also add that we must have someone to advise you on matters of the spiritual and other intellectual pursuits, since we can't rely on the maesters at this point."

"True," Rhaenys then looked at Taygor. "You have helped very much in understanding my dreams and without your help, the pact between us and the First Men would have not occurred at all. It's only right that you have a post on our council. But do you have any titles in mind?"

"I only know how to practice the ways of the gods, Your Grace," Taygor replied. "But I do recognize the need for us to remain connected to the gods."

"I have it," Rhaenys decided. "'High Practitioner.' That's a good title. I nominate Taygor Leniar to be the first High Practitioner for Westeros."

"Which I second," Aegon agreed. "Do you accept, Lord Taygor?" Taygor sighed before nodding. "Splendid, which leaves the final post to be filled, the chief advisor. Who do you all recommend?"

"If I may, Your Grace, I believe that I have a man who can be such a person," Torrhen said.

"You may, Lord Stark."

"This might be break with all precedent in Westeros, given how such people are restricted from positions of power due to general fear of them being greedy and seeking to overthrow their other siblings, but considering the new times that we will soon enter, I believe such precedents can be done away with," Torrhen outlined.

"You're referring to Lord Snow?" Rhaenys caught on.

Torrhen nodded. "He has been my strong right hand ever since I became king. But I feel that he will be of more use by your side, Your Graces. It was his sight that allowed him to communicate with you, Your Grace, so it should be him that helps keep our pact alive until it becomes consummated."

While Rhaenys didn't mind having Brandon be on the council, some of them such as Crispian and Daemon were very skeptical. Although they had the blood of Valyria, they were accustomed to the Westerosi ways and had thus possessed the dubiety held for bastards. _But he's a bastard with abilities and a direwolf, so that surely outweighs any stain that he supposedly has._

"In his defense, Egg," Rhaenys decided to intervene. "We did have a bastard, Chrass Rivers, fight alongside us until Raventree Hall was relieved. Moreover, Orys is father's bastard, but we never put him down because of it. We're already seeing the potential of those whose parents were unmarried be revealed to it. What's wrong with including on more?"

Aegon thought this for a moment before looking to Torrhen. "And you said that he was your strong right hand?" Seeing his nod, he finally turned to Brandon. "Lord Snow, I believe this post should not be called Master of Councilors, as that would send the wrong message. However, I will borrow what your brother said about you and would like to offer you the post as Hand of the King and Queen, so that you serve as our family's right hand. Moreover, you will be of great in representing the First Men's interest alongside your brother. Do you accept?"

"I do, Your Grace," Brandon quickly replied.

"Then our main council composition has been completed," Aegon announced. "In addition to the established positions, I would like to offer advisor positions to my mother and father, Lord Aerion and Valaena Targaryen of the Blackwater Bay, my sister Princess Visenya Targaryen Belaerys, Jocelyn Stark, Konno Haru, and Colren Blackwood. Do you all accept?"

Taygor translated for Konno and Kenzou Haru. Rhaenys was a little unsure of them being included in the council, as they didn't speak the common tongue well and would most likely step on the wrong toes with their attitude. But as they were now lords in Westeros, they had to make their first steps to become prominent. All of the people offered the positions, including the Harus, slowly nodded their acceptance. But before Aegon could adjourn, Jaenyx raised his hand.

"Yes, Jae?"

"Since you and Rhae are the king and queen now, you must also have a group of men to protect you."

"Protect us?" Rhaenys asked with incredulity.

"I am confident that you and Egg can fight off whatever threats that come your way with your own hands, but everything we do now sets a precedent," Jaenyx pointed out to them. "Every ruler has a group of fighters who are devoted to their protection and can issue orders on their behalf should the occasion arise. And these fighters have to be among the best that we can offer."

"He has a point, Egg," Visenya agreed. "We're not simple lords and ladies anymore. We need to have a group whose purpose is safeguarding us. Ourselves and our dragons might be enough, but we would need more protection in the years ahead."

"What Prince Jaenyx proposes is a very sound idea," Colren also threw in his support. "Besides fighting in battle, you'll have to interact with the people and lords when you dismount your dragons and many things can happen during that."

"All right," Aegon acceded. "Who do you suggest would join this… bodyguard formation? A Kingsguard if you will?"

"We have to ask all of the lords sworn to us to recommend their best fighters," Visenya said. "We can then see how they perform in close combat and various weapons before we make a final decision."

"But keep it secret," Jaenyx added. "We're still at war and the wrong person who hears of this might sneak in an agent or worse, an assassin, to get close to you both."

"I'll leave you two to come up with the specifics for this Kingsguard," Aegon directed them. "But who would you recommend to be the leader of this group?"

"I recommend Kenzou Haru to be the first commander," Jaenyx looked to his friend. "His brother, Arata, died rescuing Orys and there's no one better at armed combat and no more motivated to take revenge against the ones who harmed his family than him."

Taygor translated for Konno and Kenzou, who merely sat quietly as they absorbed his suggestion. Kenzou spoke in High Valyrian, so that all of those with the blood of the dragon could understand. "If I were to accept this position, understand that I, like my father, conduct matters very differently from you lot. You want me to protect you? I will do it. You want me to issue orders to your commanders and take command of troops if the moment calls for it? I will do it. But my methods might be distasteful for many of you, except for Jaenyx and Visenya. If you will have a problem with that, tell me now."

Rhaenys knew exactly what Kenzou was talking about. She had heard what he did at Haystack Hall and knew that he was just like his father in temperament and ability. And if she was being honest with herself, many of the methods that Kenzou willingly employed to accomplish a certain goal did not sit right with her. However, she also couldn't deny that they produced results. _Sometimes, doing what is necessary means allowing those you disagree with to do the hard work for you, _one of many lessons that she was taking to heart.

Aegon ignored Kenzou's lack of decorum before nodding. "I accept your conditions, Lord Kenzou," he addressed him with his new title. "Unless there are more matters to discuss, I hereby adjourn this council. But my queen, Orys, Jaenyx, Visenya, Lords Torrhen, Colren, Brandon, and Kenzou and Lady Argella shall remain for the time being."

Their parents, Jocelyn, and Konno all left the chamber as the topic changed to the current war situation. "We currently have the riverlands mostly within our control, but Riverrun is still within the hands of Lord Tully and we need to deal with the Vale soon while we're focused on the Lannisters and the Gardeners," Aegon glided his hand over the table of Westeros.

"We need to go on the offensive, Egg," Orys stated. "There are currently twenty thousand men east of the Slayne that are resisting Edmund Gardener's host of forty thousand, forty thousand northmen and fifteen thousand rivermen all over the riverlands, and roughly ten thousand scattered across the Blackwater Bay. Our numbers have improved, so we must take the fight to the enemy."

"I agree, Orys," Aegon replied. "But where would be a good place to start?"

"We can't just restrict the fighting to the riverlands," Visenya pointed at the Trident. "If we allow the enemy to regroup and launch another attack, the region will be devastated after all of our efforts to retake it."

"We certainly can't launch an offensive on the Kingdom of the Rock," Torrhen pointed to the western mountains. "The only way to enter that kingdom is through the Golden Tooth and they will likely turn it into a major choke point. We also don't have the ships to take on the ironborn, so any landing on the western shores of Westeros cannot be accomplished."

"So we go for the Reach, then," Jaenyx ran his finger along the Mander. "That kingdom is mostly flat farmland and thus easily accessible by land. We can march alongside the Blackwater Rush and into the northern parts of the Reach, thus bypassing the forty thousand Reachmen already engaged in the stormlands."

"That might work, Prince Jaenyx," Argella agreed. "But they will know where and how we'll march and there is still thirty thousand Reachmen that have not been engaged yet. We don't have the numbers to sustain a long march towards Highgarden."

"What about a two-pronged assault?" Orys offered. "We march on the northern reach and we land on their western shores from the south. I still have a fleet that hasn't been touched yet and we can use that to sail around Dorne and towards Oldtown. That way, we split their focus."

Aegon nodded, as did the others. "But you're forgetting one thing, Orys. Before you can set sail, you need to deal with Edmund Gardener. If he's still in the stormlands and you take men to sail around Dorne to Oldtown, you might weaken Storm's End's defenses."

"Leave Storm's End for me to worry about, brother," Orys declared. "And I already have a plan for Edmund Gardener. It'll be revealed in due time."

"Which leaves the Vale," Torrhen looked to the mountainous region on the table. "They still have tens of thousands of troops to call upon and the Arryns will not sit idly by while we attack the Lannisters and the Gardeners."

"I propose we split the forces then," Visenya suggested, causing some surprise from around the table.

"How so?" Rhaenys wanted to know what her sister was thinking.

"We take half of the northmen and half of the rivermen under our command and march into the Vale while we take no more than four thousand men to land on the eastern shores. But the four thousand men will be used to cause damage to the ports and all of their sea capacities while the other troops will be charged to actually take down the Arryn bannermen. But we must also travel light, as fighting in mountains is surely a strenuous type of warfare," Visenya answered.

"And who do you suggest to lead this effort?" Aegon asked her.

"Myself, Rhae, and the Mormont sisters," Visenya responded, causing more surprise. "I've had a lot of words with Bethany and Lyanara Mormont and they are very qualified to lead troops in battle. We need qualified commanders to march into the Vale and Rhae here has grown very much in the area of battle. It's time she learns how to command."

"How about we discuss this in more detail in more private settings, Vis?" Aegon asked, to which she nodded.

The next half hour was spent going over the specifics of the next stages of the campaign against the Faith. It was agreed that the Vale and the retaking of all of the stormlands would be a priority while they would make advances into the northern Reach. Aegon dismissed everyone but family in order to discuss Visenya's suggestions.

"I'm not sure if Rhae is ready to command an army into battle," Aegon admitted. "While she is becoming better at combat, leading troops is an entirely different matter."

"She'll learn, Egg," Visenya reassured. "Plus, it'll send quite the message if the queen of Westeros is shown to be willing to fight alongside her soldiers, just like at Raventree Hall. And we'll both be protected by Vhagar and Meraxes. Meanwhile, you three can focus on protecting the riverlands, ejecting Edmund Gardener from the stormlands, and moving on the Reach. We cannot just focus on one front and then the other, as that will allow the enemy to react to our movements more effectively over time."

"And you'll be there to help her along?"

"You really need to ask that, Egg?"

Rhaenys decided to put her husband more at ease. "Egg, I was able to get some experience at Fairmarket and then at Raventree Hall. I should be fine."

Aegon brought Rhaenys into a warm embrace and kissed the top of her head. "If you say so, then I trust you. Just be safe, all right?"

"Hey, it's me," she repeated his words of confidence.

* * *

Rhaenys slid off Meraxes as they returned to Dragonstone. She had only wanted to fly her dragon some more in peace before they began the march to the Vale. However, what she saw needed to be relayed.

Running through the halls and into the chamber, where Aegon and others were planning out the details for their southern strategy, she burst in and breathed in and out. Her husband walked over to her in concern. "Rhae, what's wrong?"

"I was just flying and while I was, I saw smoke plumes in the distance. I flew closer and I saw several homes and farms on fire. I took a closer look and I saw that they were holding Gardener banners, with some of them also carrying the red lion," Rhaenys managed.

Aegon's eyes widened. "The Gardeners? How did they get there so fast?"

"From what I could see, they're about to hit Stokeworth and Rosby. I counted about thirty thousand, many of them on horseback," she continued.

"No wonder they could move so fast," Aegon thought as Jaenyx, Visenya, Orys, Argella, Torrhen, and Brandon listened in. He turned to them. "How many men could we muster?"

"If we're talking the collective strength, probably ten thousand," Orys said. "But since Rosby and Stokeworth make up much of that, we can only get eight thousand."

"Okay, not something we're not used to," Aegon thought aloud. "We can ride with all of our dragons and—"

"No, Egg. I'll lead them," Orys declared.

"You?"

"Yes. I've rested long enough. It's time they see that I am not just well, but I can fight still. I'll lead the troops," Orys insisted.

Rhaenys chose not to argue with him, knowing how important it was. "If you're going to fight, take Quenton with you. I believe it's time he enters the battle."

"He's been a faithful servant of ours for years now," Aegon said. "I think it's time we reward him after this battle is done."

"How about a lordship?" Rhaenys offered, to which Aegon and Orys nodded their head.

"There'll be plenty of castles for him to choose, so we'll let him pick," Aegon walked over to Orys. "You sure you can handle this without us?"

"Just get the men ready to march on the Reach, Egg. Once the battle is done, I will return to Storm's End and beat Edmund Gardener's ass. Let him see what happens when he tries to interfere with my marriage," Orys said with an intense seriousness, and Rhaenys saw Argella nodding in approval.

"Okay," Aegon clasped his brother's arm. "Just don't take too long."

"You know me, Egg," Orys then walked out to prepare for the battle with the Gardener host.

As for Rhaenys, she went back to her chambers, dressed in her dragon coat, strapped on her bow and quiver, and walked with Visenya, also in her dragon coat and Dark Sister tied to her waist, to their dragons. But they wouldn't fly yet, not until they receive word on how Orys and Quenton did.

Aegon and Jaenyx saw Orys off with the master-at-arms of Dragonstone, who was informed of their offering him a lordship. _One more Valyrian house to rule, _she mused. _When everything is done, there shall be more Valyrians to go around, _she rubbed her belly.

_Let me have a son, _she prayed to the gods.

**A/N: Now, we have the small council formed and more discussions among the family. I hope all of the roles fit the characters well. **

**And we haven't been properly introduced to Quenton Qoherys, but don't worry. He will establish a longer-living house. **

**Next, the battle with the Gardeners. **


	42. Orys IV

**A/N: Well, the curve is slowly being flattened, but more quarantine to come. Let's just hope that we can appreciate the things we used to do outside of our houses more after all this is done (I know I am). **

**And this was probably the most intense chapter I wrote for Ashes, as Orys reenters battle. It's not a completely smooth ride for him. **

ORYS IV

Orys observed from horseback as the host of Gawen Gardener came into the view. Besides seeing the banners of Reach houses such as the three green oak leaves of House Oakheart, the golden tree of House Rowan, the apple of House Fossoway, and the red fox of House Florent, he could see the four sunbursts of House Kenning, the peacock of House Serrett, and the red lion of House Reyne. As Rhaenys told him, he looked upon possibly thirty thousand soldiers, all of them mounted on horseback and wearing a mixture of mail and plate armor. The knights only wore the latter, which could be recognized by him at that distance.

As for Orys, he held at his command eight thousand men, with the rest of the ten thousand holed up in both Rosby and Stokeworth. Besides Celtigar and Rahitheon footmen and Tarareon cavalry who were loaned to him, there were several men from the houses all over the Crackclaw Point, Massey, Bar Emmon, and a mixture of rivermen and northmen from small houses in each region who were able to be called upon. Supplementing their strength included the personal retainers of Lord Dondarrion, who had volunteered to fight alongside his lord paramount. _I really should reward Blackhaven for having such a fine lord, _he thought gratefully.

The quality of their weapons and armor varied with house and men, but they were all armed with a mixture of pikes, swords, axes, and bows. So naturally, the bowmen were placed in the rear line to afford the most protection from the enemy's advance. In addition, Orys had the men of the Cracklaw Point and other houses from around the Blackwater Bay who had managed to show up in formation right in front of the bowmen. Given that they demonstrated cravenness after their setback, it would take more than a few moons for him and the family to trust them again. _They're in a place where they could do some actual good while also understanding what they have to do if they want to get back in our graces._

The second line of infantry was made up of the rivermen and northmen, all of whom participating under the orders of Lord Colren Blackwood and Lord Torrhen Stark, respectively. While he had no doubt of their loyalty, this was the first time that he was in command over them and thus had to see their combat abilities for himself. _Hope Lords Stark and Blackwood don't take offense at that_.

As for the vanguard, the Celtigar and Rahitheon footmen stood at attention, the latter given to him by Jaenyx in order to make his vassals as a precedent for the Master of War. Besides his brother the King, Orys was the senior commander over all troops and thus had authority over any sworn to fight for him. The Tarareons had grown used to fighting under Aegon and Orys since Rook's Rest, but there was still much work to be done.

The left and right wings of the army, right next to the infantry, were cavalry. The right wing consisted of the Tarareon horsemen supplemented by northern cavalry while the left wing included the retainers of Lord Dondarrion, who commanded it.

Lastly, at the rear were Orys and Quenton Qoherys, the latter of whom served as his second-in-command despite him teaching the sword years earlier.

As for the troops under Gawen Gardener, both could see that the second son of King Mern had positioned most of his Reachman cavalry in the center, which was flanked by the remainder of their mounted knights and the cavalry from the Rock. As expected, Gawen led from the front, with a green mantle attached to his shoulder while what appeared to be a green hand encrusted in emeralds was visible. He had his helm down and a greatsword still sheathed and attached to his horse. _Ridiculous_, he thought of the Gardener prince's gaudy appearance.

"You nervous, Lord Orys?" Quenton asked him.

"A little bit," he admitted. It was the first battle that he would fight without his two fingers on his left hand and while he could still use his right to swing Thunderfist, it would be a challenge nonetheless. He looked at his left hand, moving the three remaining fingers to see if they could be relied on.

"Good," the master-at-arms of Dragonstone answered.

"Good?" Orys looked at him in confusion.

"Means you can see what is ahead and that you must put in double the effort if you want to walk out of this alive," Quenton told him.

"Any advice, Quenton?"

"Just be patient and don't rush things just because you want to show the men that you can fight," he reminded his former pupil. "Discipline and prudence will win the day, especially against the odds were facing."

"Understood," Orys affirmed.

Then, Orys and Quenton could see that Gawen Gardener and who appeared to be a few of his captains were approaching them under a white flag. Getting his own white flag from a Dondarrion retainer, he and the master-at-arms moved towards them. _What do they want?_

As they got closer, Orys could see more clearly the emeralds on Gawen's armor and how much jewels were encrusted on the hilt of his sword. It certainly befitted a prince of House Gardener, but it confused Orys in that he couldn't see the connection between how he was dressed and how he was commanding troops. _It seems as if this prince confuses displays with actual commanding._

While Quenton wore a simple helmet and chain mail interlocked with plate armor covering his upper arms, legs, and chest, Orys donned a helm that had stag antlers on the top and dragon wings below it and on the sides, with dragon eyes on the front. On top of that, he had plate armor on him, including a cuirass that showed his new sigil: the dragonstag. But the only decorative thing about his armor was the helm, which looked very modest compared to whatever Gawen was wearing.

Orys had kept his helm up, making his face visible as they approached Gawen and his captains. Once they had stopped with their horses just a few feet away from each other, the second son of Mern put up his helm. He could see a little bit of his brown hair, but his blue eyes and clean-shaven face both served as evidence of House Gardener's good looks.

"Prince Gawen," Orys addressed him.

"Orys Baratheon," he didn't bother to even address him as a lord, a slight that Orys duly ignored. "I didn't know you were well enough for battle."

"Well, here I am," Orys raised his arms midway to show he was fit.

"I'll come to the point," Gawen said. "I've burned many farms and villages so far, have besieged your pathetic citadel on the Blackwater Rush, and I am on the way to take Rosby and Storkeworth before moving on to Duskendale. I have thirty thousand horsemen with, all of them well-equipped, while you command a paltry ten thousand with various types of weapons and armor."

"Your point being?" Quenton didn't need another to tell them what their situation was.

"There are two ways to avoid a fight. Withdraw from the field, or better yet, lay down your arms and surrender," Gawen offered. "If you two take either, I will see that you be treated properly and that no harm comes to you."

Orys scoffed. "You'll forgive me, Prince Gawen, but the last time I was given 'proper treatment' saw Loren Lannister cut off two of my fingers."

"I am not King Loren," Gawen shook his head disapprovingly, which surprised Loren. _I would've thought that they would tolerate each other, not show their feelings openly especially to their enemies. _"I do not torture prisoners, even bastards with an arbitrary claim on a major castle."

"Take care of your words, Prince Gawen," Quenton warned him. "You are speaking to the man who beat back the Warrior's Sons alongside the Tarlys and Peakes."

"And who are you to address His Grace?" one of the captains barked.

"This is Quenton Qoherys, ser, master-at-arms of Dragonstone," Orys bit back. "Do not dare to speak so lowly to the man who protected my family."

"I don't think that you have a right to speak either, bastard," another of the captains sneered. "You should be more deferent to your superiors."

"Only if he stopped wearing such ridiculous armor," Orys pointed to Gawen's emerald-covered cuirass. "Seriously. What proper warrior wears such a decoration?"

Gawen exhaled, but his anger was evident. "I only dress as a descendant of Garth the Gardener should. That would be something you would know, had you or your trueborn family actually possessed a reputable pedigree. We were kings while you Valyrians were sheep farmers." The captains chuckled.

As for Orys, he was struggling to control his anger at how this arrogant prince insulted his family. He then remembered what Quenton taught him: _Hot temper leads to mistakes. _Calming himself down, he stared back at Gawen's blue eyes. "If how you dress and how you speak to others is a reflection of how an ancient house should behave, I'll take your words as a compliment."

Gawen frowned, not expecting Dragonstone's bastard to hit back with words. Quenton snickered at the Gardener prince's expense.

"Maybe my brother and trueborn family as you say getting crowns has come at a very auspicious time," Orys continued. "When a forest grows too wild, a purging fire is inevitable and natural, something that we will bring."

Gawen narrowed his eyes. "You think you and dragon litter have what it takes to bring down thousands of years of tradition, as well as overturn an order that has been around when the Faith came?"

"What you see as tradition, I now see decadence," Orys decided to push Gawen harder.

"You sure we're talking about the right people? You incestuous lot are the ones who are decadent," Gawen said.

"Would you like to see for yourself?" Orys pulled up Thunderfist while the captains instinctively went for the pommels of their swords. "I reckon I can smash your armor in and show you how jewels are useless except for decoration."

Gawen held his held up haughtily. "So, you won't withdraw or surrender then?"

"You started this war, but we shall finish it," Orys declared.

"So be it," Gawen nodded, but with glee forming. "I shall look for you in the field."

"Don't hurry yourself. The fire shall come for you all," Orys called out as Gawen and his captains returned to their troops.

Returning to their positions, Quenton could only remark, "That went well."

"As expected," Orys simply replied. "We can't step back, so we must fight."

"You ready, Lord Orys?" Quenton drew his sword.

"Always," Orys cracked a smile before nodding to one of his personal guard, who pulled out a hunting whistle and blew on it, its shrill sound being heard throughout the field. _The signal._

To provoke the Gardeners into attacking, the archers under Orys' command nocked their arrows. "Loose!" he ordered as hundreds of arrows flew through the air and landed on the center formation of Gawen's cavalry. Having expected them to don plate armor, Orys had them use armor-piercing arrows. Still, it was hard to be certain of the kill when the arrow was traveling at an upward angle and using the momentum gained from its downward plunge to get its mark, as only some fell off of their horses.

Seeing that their enemy had gotten the first kills of the day, the Gardener center charged forward alongside their right and left wings. As for Gawen, he held himself back, as if waiting to see how the battle would go.

Orys turned to another of his personal guard, nodding to him as he waved his personal sigil to and fro. The cavalry under his command then withdrew from their positions, leaving their own center exposed from the flanks. But for the final outcome to be realized, they had to be risked. _Hopefully, the men won't suffer too much under so much steel bearing down on them._

At the last moment and as the last of Orys' cavalry were able to withdraw, the Gardener horsemen lowered their lances and let out a collective war cry, the same happening with their left and right wings.

"Hold!" Orys shouted. Their center already had their pikes raised and had assumed a V-shape formation, which could be used to blunt a charge from heavy cavalry. "Hold!" He could tell that some of them were nervous, having never seen so much plate armor coming at them, but they also knew that there was no turning back.

At last, the combined might of the cavalry under Gawen crashed into their formation. And as Orys expected, many were unhorsed that time as pikes pierced either their cuirass or their mounts. However, they were still very outnumbered and had to put in much effort to keep steady.

"Archers, release at will!" Orys ordered. At such a close distance, it was easy for them to pick off Gardener knights with their arrows, as they could see their marks at the head and neck. But Gawen Gardener was still not involved in the fighting and Orys' troops were being attacked on three sides, Gardener and other knights being able to swing their blades from horseback.

Orys was about to call for the cavalry back, only for Quenton to stop him. "Wait, my lord. Wait. I know you don't want these men to suffer long, but timing is important. We send for the cavalry too early or too late, we lose."

Orys nodded, thanking Quenton for the reminder. "Then, I shall join the men."

"I don't think that's a good idea," Quenton warned him. "The men are already struggling to hold as is. If Gawen sees you off your horse and fighting alongside them, he'll charge in and increase the already heavy weight on the troops so that he can kill you."

"Exactly," Orys nodded. "Plus, if the troops see their commander on the field with them, they might hold much better than they are right now."

That's when Quenton understood. "You crafty son of a bitch," he grinned before he moved to get off of his horse. "Then I guess I shall join you. The teacher must not be outdone by the student."

"We'll see about that," Orys dismounted while putting down his helm and bringing Thunderfist up.

Walking through the lines, student and teacher made it to the vanguard. Grabbing a dropped pike from the ground, Orys found a Gardener knight trying to hack a Celtigar footman and pierced his horse with it. Seeing him fall to the dirt, he ran up, raised Thunderfist with both hands, and brought it down on his cuirass. The result was a caved-in steel breastplate and blood spitting out of his mouth as his innards and bones were crushed.

As for Quenton, he snatched an axe from one of the northmen, ran up to another Gardener knight, and swung at his left leg. Pulling him down from his horse, he then stuck his blade between the exposed area of his neck. _Age has not dulled his skill in battle, it seems,_ Orys observed before continuing onto the next.

"Line, forward one step!" he shouted as the vanguard pushed against the pinned cavalry. Many of their horses stepped back, some not so gently as their riders fell off. One of them got up and swung at Orys with his sword. Despite not having two fingers on his left hand, he was able to parry it, secure it with Thunderfist, pull it from his hands, and put a blow against his forehead with his war hammer. Seeing him stunned, he spun around and used the momentum gained to knock his opponent off of his feet before swinging it downwards onto his face. Bits of skull and brain splattered across the ground as his face was no more.

He then moved on to another knight. Deciding to see how the sharp end of Thunderfist would work, he ran up behind him, buried the spike into his shoulder, and pulled him down as he got a secure hold on his armor. Since it was too close for him to swing Thunderfist again, Orys pulled out his dagger and buried it in his throat.

Orys looked up, to see the remainder of Gawen's force charging at him, this time with him leading personally. He ran back behind his lines and found his personal guard, the one who had the whistle. "Blow it! It's time!" He then pulled it out and blew hard so that the sound would not be drowned by battle.

As Gawen's reinforcements joined the fray, Orys' own cavalry also emerged after withdrawing from their initial positions. They charged into the flanks of the combined Gardener host and engaged them from horseback. Although not as well armored, Orys' cavalrymen could move more flexibly and had the better positions. What's more, the Tarareons pulled out their bows, assumed their traditional formations, and released a continuous arrow stream into the massed Gardener knights, felling many.

Orys eventually found Lord Dondarrion, who had arrived with the left wing. "We're about to have them surrounded, my lord," he said.

"I know, but don't," Orys shook his head.

"Why not?" That confused the Lord of Blackhaven.

"If we surround them completely, they'll just keep fighting. They had us surrounded on three sides and now we must do the same." He turned to another of his personal guard. "Get the northmen and Blackwoods to advance from behind the vanguard. Reinforce the cavalry."

"Yes, my lord," he complied as he relayed the orders.

"And what about Gawen Gardener?" Lord Dondarrion asked.

"He said that he'll find me. I shall oblige him," Orys then ran back into the fray.

The charge of the cavalry into their flanks had made the Gardener's own horsemen begin to falter. The only reason why they kept fighting vigorously was because only the vanguard had engaged with him. That would end, however, as the second line marched around the Celtigar and Rahitheon men in a wide circle to reinforce their own cavalry, effectively restricting them. But as their rear remained open, the temptation to retreat from troops with superior positions would become very enticing.

_When I surround an army, let an outlet free and don't press a foe into absolute desperation, _Orys remembered one of Quenton's lessons on tactics. If they had completely encircled them, the Gardeners' spirits would have grown too high and they would have fought more robustness than before, which would result in more men dying.

Scanning the nearly sequestered Gardener host, Orys spotted an emerald green hand on a breastplate. "There you are, you bastard," he said to himself as he forced his way through.

Gawen Gardener was busying swinging away in order to avoid getting stuck with a pike by a riverman. While he succeeded in parrying the pike away and stabbing him through the heart, he failed to notice Orys running towards him and pushing against his horse. Falling down to the ground, he stood up and faced the Lord of Storm's End.

"Looks like you found me after all," Orys remarked.

"You'll regret showing your face to me here!" Gawen snarled.

"Then come claim your prize!" he challenged as the Gardener prince charged towards him.

Orys brought Thunderfist up, but as Gawen closed the distance, he feigned striking from across and instead ducked as he avoided the Gardener's swing before using the axe's shaft to push him away and throwing him off-balance. But Gawen possessed better footing than Argilac did, as he quickly recovered from his push.

His blade clashed against the head and shaft of Thunderfist, the sound of Valyrian steel striking what seemed like the best castle-forged steel filling the air with a sharp cling. Although he was the best that House Gardener could offer in terms of swordsmanship and war tactics, he did not expect for the bastard of Dragonstone to react so quickly to his strikes and to wield a weapon so well, as seen from his eyes widening through the openings of his helm.

Orys wrenched the shaft of Thunderfist upwards and moved its head to the right as their weapons continued to clang against one another, with Gawen having no choice but to go with the move as Lord Baratheon forced himself forwards and thus made the second son of King Mern move backwards, all to keep his footing, even as Thunderfist seemed to come alive in how fast it twisted around his own blade.

As the duel between them continued one, the Gardener prince struggled to keep a grip on his weapon, forced to take his left off. With his joints being made to assume unnatural and uncomfortable angles that started to take a toll on his body in addition to how much armor he was wearing, a single strike of Orys' elbow towards the Gardener's helm got Lord Baratheon to force him back and down again. That weakened the greenhand's sword arm just enough to allow Orys to reach forth and take hold of his hilt while grabbing Gawen's hand. Then, doing something that he never done before, he banged his helm against the Gardener's, causing loud rings to echo in each. However, Orys recovered quickly enough and used the stun that Gawen was still in to snatch his sword from his hand.

As he took the sword away from him, Orys could hear, "Protect Prince Gawen!" He prepared himself to fight more of the Gardener's entourage, only for Quenton and Lord Dondarrion to rush in and hold them off.

But while his personal guards were engaged, Gawen also recovered and threw a punch at his helm while grabbing onto him. Rolling around in the dirt, Orys punched back with his right hand and got Gawen off of him before he moved to get Thunderfist, which he had dropped when the Gardener surprised him. Before he could, he pounced on Orys again, pinning him and his right hand down.

Orys then elbowed Gawen's face, knocking him off again before turning around and trying to punch him with his left hand. Only… two fingers were missing and three was not enough to make a fist. Although he pushed his face away, Orys gritted his teeth and grunted in pain as he grabbed his left hand to rub it with his right.

"You stupid bastard," Gawen recovered from the rather feeble jab while chuckling. "Looks like Loren did accomplish something. You're less of a warrior without your two fingers."

Orys gritted his teeth, forcing himself to shrug off the pain before lunging for Thunderfist while Gawen went for his sword. But Lord Baratheon was faster that time, and angry at how the Gardener prince insulted him. Before Gawen could bring up his blade in a upward slice, Orys swung downward, catching it before it touched him and forcing it from his hand. And due to the sheer force behind Thunderfist, Gawen's blade snapped into two and thus leaving the Gardener prince without a weapon.

But not willing to let him leave the field alive, Orys spun around and used Thunderfist to collide with his breastplate. As Gawen fell backwards and blood coming out of his mouth, the emeralds that made up the green hand of House Gardener were smashed and bits of them spread out among the ground. Looking closely at his foe, he saw that the green hand was no more and Gawen lay on the dirt, bleeding out as his cuirass and insides were caved in.

"Prince Gawen is dead!" someone shouted. Panic spread among the Gardener army, with some witnessing Orys standing over Gawen's corpse as he lay dying. Already facing the determined footmen under his command and being slammed on three sides by the cavalry, the news of their prince's death became too much for them to handle. The army broke, fleeing as fast as their feet and horses would take them through the opening both Orys and Quenton left for them.

As the Tarareons and the rest of the cavalry gave chase, the footmen from Celtigar, Rahitheon, and other houses looked on as Orys and Quenton stood over Gawen. Some even began to collect the emeralds that had been dispersed from Orys' strike.

"You… will… never… succeed…" Gawen managed between gurgling blood. "I… shall… be… avenged."

Orys knelt next to him and looked him straight in his eyes. "They can try," he removed his helm, to reveal his sweaty hair about to get messier with dirt and blood.

He turned to Quenton, who was bloodied and had cuts on his arms and one across his right cheek. Although he had done most of the work to bring Gawen down, he was not about to let this teacher have no credit. He gestured him to come forward while standing. "Put him out of his misery. He doesn't have long."

"If that's that way you see it," Quenton said as Orys stepped aside. The master-at-arms of Dragonstone raised his sword and plunged its tip into Gawen's throat, finishing him off as the light left his eyes and he stopped breathing.

"Take off of his armor and bring his sword," Orys told Quenton. "And bury him. He's a warrior, so he deserves that much." His teacher nodded, pride evident in his face, as Orys turned around and faced the troops. Thrusting Thunderfist into the air, the men cheered at the great victory achieved. The men patted his shoulders and back as he walked through them, to return to Dragonstone before finally returning to Storm's End.

_It's not over yet, _Orys reminded himself. _There's more to come._

* * *

Orys stepped off the ship that Daemon lent to him to sail back to Storm's End, walking down the gangway as he looked upon the retainers that he had to earn the loyalty of after Argilac died. Only because of the expedition to the Stepstones and the battle against the Reachman houses of Tarly and Peake was he able to do so, but he learned the hard way from how Argella struggled in his absence that the nature of loyalty was quite fickle. His reaming of his bannermen might have gotten though his warning to never try to undermine his lady wife since that would equate disrespect towards him, but he knew better than to trust his warnings having a long-term impact on their scheming. _How did kepa do it?_ Orys thought as he reflected on how his father kept his vassals in line before Jaenyx came and the war started.

And he knew that it was only going to get more difficult. While retaining his titles as Lord of Storm's End and Lord Paramount of the Stormlands, he was now Master of War for Westeros, thus making him Aegon's chief advisor on all aspects of warfare and by extension one of his top commanders. _The stormlords now have a king to follow and I'm going to make sure that they understand how unbreakable that bond is._

Turning around, Orys helped Argella off of the gangway as they walked on the dock towards their home side-by-side. But there would be no time to properly rest at Storm's End, as they both had work to do from the directives Aegon gave prior to his sailing from Dragonstone to Storm's End.

"You've accomplished a very great victory, brother," Aegon nodded with pride, as did Visenya and Rhaenys. Jaenyx gave a small grin, impressed at what his good-brother achieved against such odds. "With Gawen Gardener dead and the Reach's reserves spent, it is now time to go on the offensive."

"I second that, Egg," Jaenyx pointed on the Mander of the table of Westeros. "It is now time to strike at the northern Reach by moving on the rivers that make up the Mander. With this area containing much of the kingdom's farmland and villages, we will deal a critical blow to the Gardeners if we were to either take them or burn them."

"But Jae, both Mern and Edmund Gardener might also recognize that and they could move troops from the lands west of the Slayne to reinforce it," Visenya pointed out.

"If that was to occur, then it would be easier for the stormlords to begin the process of retaking the lands on the western banks of the Slayne," Argella answered. "Whatever happens, we'll be stretching the Gardeners' remaining bannermen thin across many miles of flat farmland and mountains."

"At the same time, we cannot ignore the threat that comes from the lords sworn to the Rock," Aegon pointed to where Casterly Rock was located on the table. "We might have driven out the Lannisters from the riverlands, but they still command a sizable force still numbering in the tens of thousands."

"Loren can advance his troops from the Golden Tooth, Riverrun, or along the ocean road between Lannisport and Highgarden," Jaenyx pointed to the three locations. "While Lord Blackwood can muster enough men to keep the men of the Rock pinned at Riverrun, it'll be a different story should Loren strike from there with more men, attack from another direction, or both."

"We should have continued onwards to Riverrun instead of letting that bastard Edmyn Tully remain there," Rhaenys said.

"While the northmen and the riverlords who remained faithful to us would have been able to accomplish that, it would have drawn needed strength away from areas that needed the manpower more and possibly delaying our coronation," Visenya explained to her. "For the time being, we should leave Riverrun be and focus on the more important goals: the advance on the Reach and retaking the stormlands west of the Slayne."

"Agreed," Aegon nodded. "But before we move on, we need to discuss how we can reward Quenton. He served us with honor and in the battle against Gawen Gardener, not to mention teaching most of us here the way of the sword." He, Visenya, and Orys smiled, reflecting on their memories of the training yard under Qoherys' tutelage with fondness. "Both I and Rhae agreed that a lordship is the most proper reward for his services, but we're not sure which keep we can give him despite the fact that there will be many once this war is over."

Jaenyx and Visenya rubbed their chins in deep thought, looking over the table as they searched for options. Orys also thought on it, as he felt that the master-at-arms of Dragonstone deserved a good castle blessed with good lands and a good location. _Where is good, though?_

"How about Riverrun?" Visenya suggested, surprising Aegon, Rhaenys, Orys, and Argella. "Stone Hedge has been slighted and there are no other castles besides Harrenhal that is suitable for the magnitude of Quenton's merits. Riverrun is a good castle, easily defensible, and currently occupied by a turncoat. Once both Edmyn Tully and Broden are dead, we'll give it to him and make it official once this war is over."

"Hmmm," Aegon thought aloud before he bobbed his head in agreement. "Good choice, Vis. That might also give him more motivation in the coming moons ahead, as there will be a lordship waiting for him if we triumph."

"Which leaves Harrenhal without a lord and without a future at the moment," Orys pointed to the northern shore of the Gods Eye where that wretched castle was. "Its initial purpose of being a supply depot for the riverlands as suggested by Jae was a good one, but it needs to have another purpose that will serve us in the long-term. Or, we can just simply demolish it and say to all, 'This is what happens when you assume the dragons are weak and docile.'"

That prompted chuckles from his family and Argella.

"As tempting as that last option sounds, the more that I think about it, that castle may serve a long-tern purpose for us yet," Jaenyx answered.

"What do you mean?" Aegon became curious as to what purpose he had for Harrenhal, as were Rhaenys, Orys, and Argella. As always, Visenya looked as if she already knew what her husband thought.

"We cannot deny that Harrenhal is located at a particularly important point in the riverlands, as all routes to and from the region will have to pass by the Gods Eye. It is also located strategically close to the Blackwater Bay, which presented a grave threat to us when we first landed on this continent," Jaenyx explained.

"Well said, Jaenyx," Orys noted.

"Given its location and its size despite being incomplete, it's imperative that a lord we know for sure is loyal to our family is given control over the fortress. Or better yet, we have control over that fortress in perpetuity," Jaenyx proposed.

"We?" Rhaenys was surprised. "You do remember that the riverlands suffered because of that damn castle?"

"As short-sighted as Black Harren was, Rhae, we cannot deny that he chose a good place to build a castle. And it'll take as much effort, maybe more, to demolish it, effort that we cannot afford to expend as we start to shape our realm," Jaenyx replied to his good-sister.

"So, what exactly do you suggest?" Aegon asked him.

"Thinking more on the castle's uses, I suggest Harrenhal be included in our personal demesne as well as all of the lands attached to the fortress," Jaenyx circled over its location. "In addition to keeps, there will be much gold to spare from the houses that stood against us. We can use part of it to make the necessary repairs to the castle, turn it into a proper keep, and we now have a good counterbalance against all potential adversaries in the riverlands."

Aegon and Rhaenys thought very deeply on this, as did Orys and Argella.

"I discussed this with Jae recently," Visenya joined in. "Besides our dragons, the most important asset that we have now is drawn from lands. When we think about it in those terms, Harrenhal is an important asset and we cannot just let it rot or give it to a random lord. We're a royal family now and we need to ensure that our strength is above the others, even beyond that of House Stark."

Both of Jaenyx's and Visenya's words made perfect sense to Orys. He was also technically royalty despite being a bastard and being a lord under his trueborn family. Even with the war going on, they had to take measures to ensure their long-term survival, made more critical since the Valyrians were still a minority in Westeros. _One moment or aspect that leads everyone to think we're weak will cause problems that will never end, _he considered.

"I see your point," Aegon finally said after thinking about it some more. "If Harrenhal remains in our possession after we do some major reconstruction, we have one strong fortress under our direct control and thus beginning a foundation from which to establish our family in this land. But I'm curious as to why the sudden change in thinking. Just moons ago, you were content to leave it as a ruin and not let anyone be its lord."

"And you're right, Egg," Jaenyx acknowledged. "But that was before I said to you that we had to think bigger and this part of how we do it. It's even more important now that we're royals."

"Jae's right, Egg," Rhaenys agreed. "There's no doubt that the lands around the Blackwater Bay will be ours to rule directly, but it wouldn't hurt to have a fortress as large as Harrenhal to be added to that."

"The specifics can be looked over at a later time, but I concur with your suggestions," Aegon nodded. "Now, moving back to the war…"

"If we are to mount a successful invasion of the Reach, we cannot rely on one route of approach," Visenya stated. "We need to attack from multiple directions in order to spread their lines even thinner."

"And how do you suggest we do that, Princess Visenya?" Argella was stumped. Fortunately to all, she didn't see how slightly uncomfortable at how she was addressed, since such a title belong to empty-headed maidens, while allowing only Jaenyx to say it so openly. _Some things just don't change, do they, Vis? _Orys mused.

"Besides the advance on the northern Reach, we will also have to attack from the stormlands through Nightsong once that castle is retaken and from a third direction if possible," Visenya pointed to various features of the Reach on the table. "Although… I must admit I am at a loss from where the third direction can be started."

"Would attacking the Reach from three directions spread our own forces thin?" Argella posed.

"Unlike the Gardeners, we have freedom of movement largely thanks to Orys," she pointed to her brother. "Edmund is pinned in the stormlands and with their reserves expended, the paths are clear."

"Regarding the third direction, we do have an option," a thought suddenly came to Orys. "We can use the sea."

Aegon looked as if he didn't consider that. "Are you suggesting that Daemon lead a fleet from Driftmark all the way around the continent towards the Reach? I have to warn you, brother, that'll take a lot of time and I don't think he has the strength to take on the ships commanded by the likes of House Redwyne and the ironborn out of all of the opponents he might face."

"Not by himself, he doesn't," Orys admitted. "But as Argella told me, we still have a fleet that is seaworthy, the same fleet that took part in the expedition against the corsairs and currently docked at Tarth, Storm's End, and Estermont. Sixty vessels in total."

"Sixty? I thought there were fifty," Rhaenys pointed out.

"Despite the demands on the eastern banks of the Slayne, I was able to construct ten more ships in case we needed to supplement our strength," Argella explained.

"Even with the slight increase in numbers, you'll still be outnumbered," Visenya reminded them.

"I know," Orys admitted. "But that's also what the enemy will think. Given their actions against us in the past moons, we know that they will rely on their numbers to defeat us. The same will probably apply at sea also."

"I am still dubious about what you're suggesting, brother," Aegon said. "I know that Torrhen said that any landing on the western shores of Westeros is impossible due to the ironborn and Redwyne fleets, which implies that we must make an opening. At the same time, don't expect that the good fortune we've enjoyed so far will last forever."

"It's not a matter of good fortune, Egg," Orys replied. "I killed Gawen Gardener, probably the Reach's best knight and commander. You really think that they will act logically if they see me arriving with less ships than theirs?"

"Ah," Jaenyx caught on. "You're relying on them to act irrationally and solely on hot temper if you show yourself to the enemy since you spilled Gardener blood. That will make them more likely to make mistakes and use simple tactics in an effort to wear you down."

"Exactly," Orys nodded. "Someone who finally understood my intentions."

Aegon, Rhaenys, and Visenya smiled in approval, but were still worried. "If that's what you're thinking, all right. I'll leave the specifics to you and whoever sails with you. But please be careful still," Aegon implored. "Hot temper is what made Loren cut your fingers off."

Orys ground his teeth at the mere mention of what the King of the Rock did to him. "Oh, the enemy will see that their hot temper is no match for dragonfire. But don't worry. I won't act recklessly."

"Good," Rhaenys was relieved. "And now, I think we should move to planning our advance into the Vale."

"We should," Aegon agreed.

Orys had his orders from Aegon and as his Master of War, he was going to see them done. It was what occupied his mind as he held court for the first time in a moon at Storm's End, in which the major lords of the stormlands were present, especially Lord Dondarrion.

"While I have no doubt of your seafaring abilities, Lord Orys," Lord Selmy began. "Our first priority is to drive out Edmund Gardener from our lands and reinforce our positions on our side of the Red Mountains."

"I concur with Lord Selmy, my lord," Lord Caron stepped forward. "If we send an expedition around the continent, we risk weakening our current positions east of the Slayne and that is something that we cannot afford to have when there are nearly forty thousand summer knights and retainers on the western shore."

"And the gods know just what those fanatics are doing in our lands!" Lord Penrose cried out. "Walks of shame, mock trials, septons running amok. If the Faith was truly like this, then I would have renounced the Seven many years ago."

"Hear, hear," Lord Dondarrion agreed, as did many of the stormlords. _If this was before the Gardeners came, such talk would've been unthinkable. Now, with their homes being ravaged, they are openly speaking of driving the Faith out._

While Orys was glad that the stormlords finally saw the Faith as a threat to be eliminated, he knew that it was only because their homes were being devastated. _Great change happens when push comes to shove,_ he thought. _Still, not going to say anything about their worries._

Orys nodded in understanding. "I shall have to inform my brother the King that until the stormlands is secure, no sea expedition shall commence. But… any suggestions on what to do with Edmund Gardener?"

"My lord, we were hoping that you had suggestions of your own. After you, you killed Gawen Gardener," Lord Connington said.

"You must remember, my lord," Argella spoke up. "My lord husband might have accomplished many things, but he knows that the best solutions come from cooperation. His family is an example of that, an example that we all must follow if we are to weather this crisis and defeat our enemies in the Reach."

"Lady Argella speaks true," Lord Dondarrion concurred. "The Targaryens, alongside Prince Jaenyx Belaerys, have accomplished wonders only because they worked together. It is this same spirt of collaboration that Lord Orys encourages through gathering us here to obtain the best possible strategy from us."

"Then… may I make a suggestion?" Lord Swann asked.

"You may," Orys opened the floor to the Lord of Stonehelm.

"Up to this point, we have held the eastern banks of the Slayne well and prevented their advance. But with Gawen Gardener dead and Highgarden's reserves depleted, we must continue to press the advantage that Lord Orys was able to gain. We all know that neither us or the enemy will budge an inch. However, what if we obliged them?"

"You care to elaborate, Lord Swann?" Argella's interest was piqued, as was Orys'.

"We have to break the stalemate, but we won't if we charged forward. How about… we allow a gap to be opened in our lines and have the Gardeners cross onto the eastern bank?"

"And once enough of their bannermen are across the river and still not in formation, they'll be easier to pick off," Orys caught on.

"Yes, my lord," Lord Swann confirmed.

"That's a risky strategy, my lord," Lord Caron declared. "There's no telling if Edmund Gardener will take the bait and no telling if we can strike when they're still disorganized. It would require much detailed planning and timing on our part for it to work."

"Timing that we have now thanks to Lord Orys," Lord Swann replied. "Plus, it'll require deception on our part and I'm sure our lord paramount can think of something."

"And should our lines be breached permanently if we decided to continue?" Lord Penrose asked.

"They won't, because if they move too far from their supply lines, they'll be vulnerable," Orys concluded. "It's settled then. I will Lord Swann's recommendations towards driving out Edmund Gardener. But also, I ask all of you to recommend any man willing to board a ship like they did against the corsairs. As soon as Edmund Gardener is driven out, I will set sail. Understood?" The stormlords nodded their heads. "You have your orders, and remember today, specifically what happens because all of you come together to collaborate towards the common cause. I hope that continues."

Later that night, Orys was eating his first meal in a while within Storm's End's solar with Argella. It was a challenge to hold the fork, as he was missing two fingers, but seeing his struggle made his lady wife stand up and cut the slices of auroch for him.

"Thank you," Orys smiled.

"Looks like I will much to help you on going forward," she smirked.

Orys sighed contentedly. "It must've been hard for you, running affairs while I was gone."

"I managed," Argella shrugged.

"Well… know that I won't leave your side again. We work better together and only then can we really face the world," Orys asserted.

"I'm glad you think so," she replied gratefully. "After all, you said 'I'm better with you, Argella.'"

"It was the truth, which it still is," he answered.

"You know, I was wondering. As a lord and the founder of our house, you should begin thinking about expanding," Argella changed the topic.

"What do you mean?" Orys wanted to know.

"Well… a house is as strong as its heirs and while you put it to a good start, without heirs, it'll disappear," Argella explained.

Orys raised his eyebrows. "Wait… are you saying that you want to… bear my heirs?"

"You created that banner, which honors Durran Godsgrief. Storm's End will be ruled by those with the blood of the dragon and that of Durran," she put her hand on his cheek. "Our dragonstags."

"Dragonstags…" the word rolled off of Orys's tongue. "I like the sound of that."

"Just saying what needs to be said. But… let's work on that after the war is done," Argella moved her head to and fro.

"Wait, you talk about having heirs and now you say that you want to wait? Why bring it up then?" Orys laughed, but slightly puzzled.

"Having heirs is just as important as keeping Storm's End in order," Argella pointed out. "That's what my father understood and that's what I think you should be concerned about too."

"I told you, Argella. I will not force you to do anything you don't want to do," Orys repeated.

She then surprised him by pecking his other cheek and then his lips. "I know you did. But still, better to know and think about it now than later. That way, we're more prepared. In addition, have to make our new sigil a reality, right?"

Orys chuckled. "Right."

They spent the rest of their supper enjoying each other's presence, as they did since he was freed. But now, it was in their castle and Argella had talked about having heirs. "Would you prefer sons or daughters?"

"Do we have to worry about gender? If it has both of our blood, our children will be fine, won't they?" Argella asked rhetorically.

Orys sighed before grinning. "Yes, they should."

**A/N: The battle took inspiration from Yellow Tavern (1864) and the Great Plains (203 BC). And imagine Gawen Gardener as the equivalent of a cavalry commander like J.E.B. Stuart, but with a lot more arrogance due to his Gardener heritage. I also hope that this is a good and proper intro to Quenton Qoherys. **

**The discussion between the family touched on many important points. At this point, Jaenyx is the one who operates behind-the-scenes, influencing many key decisions and making the Targaryens think in directions they never would have considered. **

**As for Orys, he proved himself a competent commander on land and will be able to practice his leadership skills on the high seas. But for now, he has to drive Edmund Gardener out. **

**And soon, House Baratheon will expand :) **

**Next, we see the beginning of the Vale campaign.**

**Update: Missed a minor detail about House Fossoway. Just fixed it**


	43. Visenya IX

**A/N: Hope you guys are still safe and sane from the coronavirus. Just know that this will not last forever and let us emerge more appreciative of what we enjoyed outside. **

**Here's the next chapter. **

VISENYA IX

Visenya looked over the maps of the Vale alongside Rhaenys, Bethany and Lyanara Mormont, and Brandon Snow, who had insisted on accompanying them despite being the Hand of the King & Queen. However, since Aegon was still engaged at Dragonstone organizing the bulk of their troops for their southern campaigns against the Gardeners and Lannisters with Jaenyx, Orys, Torrhen Stark, and Colren Blackwood, that left the women commanders plus the Stark bastard to handle the neuralization of the Vale.

They were all currently located on Daemon's personal flagship alongside whatever vessels they could scrounge up from Driftmark and all over the Blackwater Bay, all of whom had dropped anchor off of Claw Isle and their numbers weren't nearly enough to take on the naval units docked at Gulltown. However, Daemon's vessels was large enough to ferry four thousand men, which was a start.

"The most obvious choice when it comes to striking at the Vale is conducting a landing either near Ironoaks, Runestone, or Old Anchor, all of which will grant us access to the Vale proper and thus the parts of the kingdom that matter," Visenya began. "Should the Vale proper fall, the advance towards the Eyrie will be wide open and we can begin besieging the fortress."

"But if I were Sharra Arryn or one of her commanders, that's where I would expect an invasion to begin," Bethany Mormont pointed to the various potential locations for a landing. "If we know that taking the Vale proper is vital in our success against the Arryns, the enemy will be sure to repel us and would take every possible precaution against a successful landing."

"Which is why we must make them think that taking the Vale proper is our first and only objective," Rhaenys stated.

"How do you intend to do that?" Lyanara Mormont asked.

"Well, to make them convinced, we have to actually land troops at a possible location and fight a battle against them," Visenya answered. "Daemon can ferry four thousand troops and land them at various points alongside the Vale's shores. We use those troops to establish a beachhead and wait for the enemy to come to them while our cousin will raid all over the viable ports and harbors of the kingdom. That way, their attention will be focused on the east and most obvious targets."

"But that won't be how we win against the Arryns," Bethany saw.

"No, Lady Bethany," Visenya replied. "Our true approach will come from the west, specifically the Mountains of the Moon and the areas around the Bloody Gate. Now, I know that you have reservations against attacking such a strong fortress, as the mountain clans and other armies of the past have attempted to do so and had failed each time. But rest assured that I won't sacrifice troops to take difficult locations. We have to act contrary to their expectations and that's exactly what we intend to do."

"Can't you use your dragons to burn the Eyrie and other fortresses? That'll save us a lot of time and effort, just like at Harrenhal," Lyanara pointed out.

"We could," Rhaenys nodded. "But at the same time, we have to show to the Valemen that the mountains are not their protection. It's a given that dragons can fly over them, but we also have to show that troops can cross over the mountains and strike at them at any given time. That way, they fully understand that they are not safe should they try to act against us."

Lyanara nodded, now understanding their long-term thinking. "But no army has been able to cross those mountains towards the Eyrie in thousands of years. Even if we do, we also have to deal with the mountain clans, who might see us as intruders and thus adding more difficulties should we attempt a mountain crossing."

"Leave that to me," Brandon spoke up. "As you know, I had to fulfill many important duties as castellan of Winterfell, among them dealing with petitioners in Torrhen's absence. They might not trust anyone coming from what they call 'lowlands', but they have long memories ever since the Andals expelled them from their ancestral lands. They might also be more inclined to at least hear us out if a fellow member of the First Men makes the first move."

"The mountain clans of the Vale number at least three thousand," Bethany added. "Besides their numbers, their intimate knowledge of the Mountains of the Moon and how to move through paths unknown to the Knights of the Vale will be very advantageous to us."

Visenya thought it over, as did Rhaenys. Part of their studies under Maester Harrion before he was sent back to the Citadel was learning about every kingdom of Westeros and each detail of their histories. Among many things, she had found the history of the Vale mountain clans quite fascinating. Descended from the First Men who were defeated at the Battle of the Seven Stars, which saw the subjugation of the entire Vale under the Andals, they had fled their control and resisted the authority of the Eyrie, entering into a feud with the knights of the Vale that lasted up to the present. _Quite disheartening to see your homes taken from you. I am not sure if I could last if Dragonstone or my other home in Jae was taken from me._

Like the culture of the First Men in the Kingdom of the North, the practices of the Vale mountain clans were of some appeal to Visenya. They had believed that every person's voice, regardless of whether they were a man or a woman, had to be heard during councils. Some clans share close bonds and conflicts between them were often resolved by payment of blood money. Clansmen were quick to settle personal grievances through violence, which is what the First Men of old also did. _A people stuck in time…_

They were a poor people with poor quality of weapons and armor, and their way of subsisting included raiding local villages, small groups of travelers, and even whoever ruled from the Eyrie to get what they need, especially if the latter had no protection. The mountain clansmen would take all weapons, grain, and armor that they could find, as well as all women, whether they are wedded or not. _That's something that I will have to make clear of my displeasure should I meet any of them in person._

Some women participated in raids, which obviously fascinated Visenya since she looked for any models as a woman inclined to conflict, and they rode small horses that were suited to the narrow mountain paths of the Vale. _However, it has been hundreds of years since the clansmen have threatened the knights of the Vale or the Eyrie with anything more serious than raids, even if they do have three thousand at least_, she thought.

Still, warriors who knew the terrain and fought on their side would become very important assets, which is what they needed if they were to obtain a decisive victory over the Valemen.

"Any ideas who you might approach to persuade them to fight for us, Lord Snow?" Visenya asked the Hand.

"Well… if we're talking about ability, I would suggest approaching the Painted Dogs first," Brandon answered.

"Who are they and why them, Brandon?" Rhaenys asked. Bethany and Lyanara were initially surprised at her addressing him by his first name, but seeing how their friendship developed, they thought little of it.

"The Painted Dogs actually have a strong merit attached to their name. They had killed Roland the First of His Name, the one who had started the construction of the Eyrie. They pulled him from his horse and crushed his head with a stone maul before he could draw his sword, which is more than what any of the mountain clans accomplished," Brandon explained.

"But?" Visenya saw that Rhaenys knew Brandon was about to say more.

"If we're talking about who can amass the most warriors out of all of the mountain clains, we should approach the Black Ears or the Moon Brothers, both of whom have close ties each other," Brandon replied.

"How many men could they assemble?" Visenya inquired.

"From what I last remember, about five hundred."

"That's not much," Visenya pointed out.

"No, but they have knowledge of the mountain passes, which we would need if we wanted to accomplish a successful crossing over the Mountains of the Moon," Brandon answered.

"You have a point, Lord Snow, but you also have to consider that we might be facing clansmen who might see our troops as intruders and thus making our task more difficult," Visenya countered. "We're going to need more than five hundred if we are to make a difference in numbers."

"I think you're both looking at this from the wrong angle," Rhaenys joined their discussion. "Yes, they might not like working with us and they may hate other clans more than us, but the one thing that they will hate for sure are the Arryns and the so-called lowland lords. They came from peoples who were forced from their homes and have resisted the Andals since."

"True, but what is your point, Rhae?" Visenya asked her sister.

"We apply a tactic similar to the one that we used with Lord Colren and Quenton," Rhaenys answered. "If they agree to support us, we offer them some of their lands back and make them lords again. That way, we give them a reason to fight alongside us and save us the trouble of fighting them."

"That'll be easier said than done, Your Grace," Bethany said. "Many of the clansmen have not seen their ancestral lands in thousands of years and much has changed since they were expelled, so they might face resistance. Also, if you try to overturn the established order in the Vale proper, the Andal lords might offer stiff resistance long after we subjugate them."

"Then let them," Visenya declared. "They chose the wrong side and they should know the consequences of doing so. Plus, we're already challenging the established order throughout Westeros, so what's the harm in doing it in the Vale?"

Bethany sighed before nodding. "Yes, Your Grace."

"Besides, Bethany, the Vale can benefit from the original practices of the First Men returning in force to the so-called lowlands," Brandon added. "After all, isn't that why we're fighting here in the south in the first place?"

The Lady of Bear Island conceded his point. "So… we march twenty thousand men across the Green Fork and towards the Mountains of the Morn while we have to make Sharra Arryn and her captains think that the real target is the Vale proper itself."

"Exactly," Rhaenys confirmed.

"How do you intend to do that, Your Grace?" Lyanara inquired.

"Simple. Either of us or both lead the force on our dragons," Rhaenys answered. "If the dragons are present, then they will assume for sure that whatever troops we lead will be the real threat."

"If that's the case, Rhae, then I'll lead them," Visenya asserted, getting looks of surprise from all of them. "All of us here have seen my sister become very proficient with the bow. However, and please don't misinterpret my words, she is not considered a threat by those that adhere to the Faith. As for me, the entire continent is aware of my role in infiltrating Casterly Rock to liberate my brother. In addition, our enemies have witnessed me handling the sword to great effect. If they see me as commanding the troops in the Vale proper, they will concentrate of all of their efforts to take me down."

To her relief, Rhaenys wasn't offended. In fact, she saw the sense behind her words. _Thank the gods._

"And I must remind you, Your Graces," Lyanara Mormont spoke up. "Part of the deal is that the North will take the Three Sisters, so there must be a force sent there."

"There will be, Lady Lyanara," Rhaenys assured her. "However, our priority should be to subjugate the Vale's mainland. Once the Three Sisters are deprived of their only source of outside help, they will wither and possibly surrender without a fight. We have to eliminate the Vale's armies and thus force Sharra Arryn to surrender."

"Once the Vale falls, our eastern flank and the entire half of the continent north of the Trident will be secure and we can thus focus our full attention on the Gardeners and Lannisters," Visenya added. "I'm sure that there will be plenty of houses that want to side with us and would no doubt bolster our numbers."

"But what about Sharra Arryn, Your Grace? What happens to her when this is all over?" Bethany asked.

"That's a decision that we'll make after the Eyrie is secured," Rhaenys told her. "As we all know, no army since the Andals has ever managed to enter the Vale successfully, so we're entering unknown territory here. Your brethren, Lady Bethany, waged a war that lasted a thousand years while the Bloody Gate withstood three attempts by the ironborn under Halleck Hoare. We have to be creative here."

"I agree, Your Grace," Brandon nodded. "But I would also advise caution. There are powerful houses in the Vale that descend from the First Men. Among them are the Royces of Runestone, the Hunters of Longbow Hall, the Redforts of Redfort, the Upcliffs of Witch Isle, and the Belmores of Strongsong. Remember that those houses were defeated at the Battle of the Seven Stars under Artys Arryn and were thus forced to swear fealty to him and his house in perpetuity, so it's very likely that they have strong antipathies against the Arryns that still run to this day. While I shall work to gain the Vale mountain clans to side with us, I suggest that the houses with First Men origins be approached and given offers."

"That's a strategy with much uncertainty attached to it, Bran," Lyanara said. "It's been thousands of years since those houses have submitted to the Arryns. It's very possible that they wouldn't think about turning their coats since that would mean risking everything they have, from keeps and lands to their own people. Plus, the lords from those houses might have a strong interest in maintaining the established order, so they might not be inclined to deal with agents that will bring out great change."

"If they don't wish to get revenge against the Andals for humiliating them in their own lands, then we appeal to their selfish natures," Brandon answered. "Just like we will promise to give the mountain clans some of their land back, we offer each of those houses increased estates and positions of influence within the Vale to offset the other Andal houses. I am certain that especially House Royce will be very interested in striking back against the very people that dethroned their ancestor."

"So… you want me to be diplomatic with those houses while I fight their peers and possibly their own troops?" Visenya asked.

"Yes, Your Grace. Fire and steel might be useful in solving many problems, but we must also present opportunities for those wishing to advance themselves in the new order or to settle old grudges," Brandon explained. "And assuming every lord wants to fight alongside their ruler purely out of loyalty is a faulty assumption because that is a rare trait to find. House Bolton in the North is a great example of the fickleness of loyalty, since they have rebelled at least once against House Stark."

Visenya nodded. "I'll take your suggestions into consideration, Lord Snow. However, I admit that I lack diplomatic tact, the skills Rhae has."

"I think you're giving yourself too little credit, Vis," Rhaenys walked up to her. "You handled yourself pretty well when we were in the North. When we were at Fairmarket, you treated the northern lords with respect and you made them listen to what you had to say. Also, your reputation will serve you well since many will heed the words of one of the two people who infiltrated Casterly Rock and got our brother out alive. Just continue being respectful and really use your achievements to good use. You'll be fine after you learn to use both."

Visenya grinned, appreciating her sister's advice. "Thanks, Rhae."

"Well, then," Brandon stood up, with the Mormont sisters following suit. "I shall depart for the Green Fork tonight and should be at the encampment at Saltpans with a few days. Queen Rhaenys, I would suggest that you fly out on Meraxes and inform the commanders there what the plan is. But we shall not advance until after we hear word of Princess Visenya's clash in the Vale proper."

"Understood," Rhaenys bobbed her head. "I shall fly out by tomorrow. See you at Saltpans, Brandon." He nodded in acknowledgement as he exited the main cabin of the ship and towards another boat waiting for him to board, which would take him and the Mormont ladies to Saltpans.

As soon as they left, Visenya felt something push in her belly. "Oooh," she reached down to cup her stomach, which was growing as the child within her got closer to when he or she entered the world.

"You all right, Vis?" Rhaenys rubbed her sister's belly to provide some comfort.

"It's nothing. Just the baby," Visenya tried to assuage her sister, but she kept close and pressed her hand on her stomach.

"Oh, my," Rhaenys noticed. "I can feel his or her kick."

"A pretty hard one, to be sure," a look of discomfort formed on her face as she felt it again.

"I'm sure that's a good thing. Mean the babe will be a strong one, just like his or her parents," her sister remarked.

"I hope so," Visenya rubbed her belly before placing her hands on his sister's own. As soon as she touched it, she also felt a kick and Rhaenys becoming slightly uncomfortable. "Seems yours' and Egg's babe will also be strong."

"I hope that it is a son and that the next babe of Lord and Lady Stark's blood will be a girl, so that our pact will be secure," Rhaenys stared into her eyes. "But deep down, I will love my babe no matter the gender and I shall make sure that nothing happens to him or her."

"So will I for mine," Visenya brought her sister in for a hug. "Never thought that I would be carrying someone's babe before Jae came, but now that I have one in me, I don't want to let it go. Nor do I want my babe to be the only one."

"Of course," Rhaenys looked up to her face. "House Belaerys needs heirs and more dragons to add to our family. I know that you can do it."

Visenya sighed happily, thinking of all of the children that she and Jaenyx would have once the fighting was done and when they could enjoy moments of peace without a worry in the world. "And our family needs as much heirs as you can bear, Rhae. I just hope that Egg can handle it, with all of the dragons that will come from both of us."

"Stop it," Rhaenys returned her head on Visenya's shoulders. "And don't forget Orys. He has the blood of the dragon, no matter what anyone says, and whatever children he has with Argella will be our nieces and nephews," she squealed in delight.

"Of course," Visenya affirmed.

"Vis, can I sleep with you tonight?"

That caught Visenya off-guard. "Um, what?"

"That came out wrong, didn't it?" Rhaenys was quickly scolding herself for how she worded it.

"Don't worry, Rhae," Visenya patted her sister's back. "Do you mean to say that you want us to… sleep in the same bed as we used to do with muña?"

"Yeah, yeah. Exactly," Rhaenys nodded quickly. "Since we're about to become muñas ourselves, it's only right that we start to be comfortable with each other. Your babes can sleep in my bed, and my babes can sleep in yours if they wanted to. No need to have boundaries between us, right?"

The more she thought about it, the more she imagined tucking her nieces and nephews in with her and her own children getting to become very close with their aunt. "Yeah, no need," she agreed.

Rhaenys squealed in delight again.

That night, they helped each other change into their nightgowns and rested next to each other, their hands on each other's belly so that they could become familiar with their niece or nephew before they laid eyes on them.

Seeing how her sister looked forward to becoming a mother caused Visenya to smile. She was going to bring a child that had hers and Jaenyx's blood, and her man was going to live on in their babe. And she also liked how her pregnancy made her become more… insistent in her desire for her husband.

As she and Rhaenys drifted off into a deep sleep, Visenya remembered when she was in her husband's arms before they departed to Claw Isle and he towards the southern shore of the Gods Eye to prepare the advance on the northern Reach alongside Aegon.

_Hands digging into the mattress, Visenya gasped. Fisting the soft satin sheets of their chambers, always a comforting feeling and a good respite from any time they were on the march. But it wasn't the sheets that the Princess of Sphinx Rest and co-head of House Belaerys cared about at that moment._

_"Fuck Jae!" Her head threw back in a desperate moan, legs wrapping around her husband's hips as he pounded deep inside her. "Oh gods… please fuck me harder!"_

_Mouth attached to her neck, Jaenyx feverishly sucked and licked, marking his beautiful and robust wife. Growling into her soft skin and well-defined muscles. Every time with Jaenyx felt like their first time, a feeling that she will always cherish whenever they were apart, his cock driving hard into her._

_"I love you so much, Vis," he groaned, grabbing her leg and pulling it higher on him. Exposing more of her sopping wet entrance to his aggressive pounding._

_"I love… you too… oh yes!" Visenya let go of the sheets, her nails having cut a few holes from how hard Jaenyx was fucking her before her hands reached up and her nails started digging into his back. Scraping hard down his skin, coaxing a roar from him, a proper dragon roar. She screamed as Jaenyx pulled fully out of her only to slam back in. I really do hope that he doesn't slack after I give birth, she hoped. _

_Jaenyx hissed when Visenya pulled her head up and bit down on his shoulder, marking him every bit as viciously as he had her. "Careful, Vis. Your nails I can handle, but your teeth?" She pulled back, grinning, only to shudder at his intense amethyst eyes as he tried to warn her and was about to scold her for being so careless._

_Suddenly, he pulled out, leaving Visenya painfully empty and alone. "Nooo…" the Princess of Sphinx Rest whine. "Why did you have leave me like this, Jae?" She felt him nuzzle her breasts, flicking her nipples with his nose, tickling and teasing her. "Stop… I need you inside me again, my prince. Please, please, please…" The she-dragon of both Houses Belaerys and Targaryen would have never begged anyone she saw as smaller than her, but her husband and Prince was above all the small-minded men she had evere encountered. She only did so in the bedroom, knowing that he would never hurt her or belittle her. _

_She then yelped, Jaenyx frantically flipping her over by using her legs. "Hands and knees," he said darkly, his voice low and fierce. Visenya felt a fresh gush of wetness coat her core, her heat and desire growing to new heights when he smacked her ass hard. It certainly didn't help that her child, a full dragon, had added to the heat. "Come on, Princess."_

_She was a bit uncomfortable whenever even Aegon and Rhaenys called her that, but she was willing to make an exception with her husband. "Yes, Jae," Visenya complied almost immediately. Wiggling her ass at him. "Finish me off, my Prince… oh yes!" Hands gripping her hips, he had thrust inside her with one stroke. "You're so deep… fuck me!" She knew that he loved her dirty talk, her prim and powerful prince and warrior wailing and swearing as loudly as a dragon would. "Your Princess wants to be fucked!" _

_He thrust and slapped her ass at the same time, causing Visenya to buck. "You're mine, Vis. My wife. My lover." A hand slipped from her hips to caress her belly, swollen with their babe. "And going to be the mother of our children!"_

_"Yes… only ours!" Visenya's head sunk into the pillow, screaming into it. She loved this position, feeling him rock so deep inside her. She would have felt bothered at another man taking advantage of her, especially if she was arranged to be married with a small man. But with Jaenyx… she was safe. He loved her desperately, barely able to handle this position until she begged him. Only him… only with him, she thought happily._

_As his head crashed against a particularly sensitive spot, Visenya shattered. Dragonfire beneath her lids as she came undone. Mouth tilting open in a silent scream. Her walls contracting rhythmically, Visenya swore she climaxed again when Jaenyx shuddered, emptying rope after rope of his sticky seed through her velvet entrance. He would have most certainly quickened inside her if their babe, Gaerion or Maenara, wasn't already nestled in her womb._

_Easing out of her, Visenya whimpering at the loss of contact while Jaenyx collapsed onto the bed. She following soon after, atop him, tangled together in a heap of limbs and sweaty skin. Soft, gentle fingers caressed his chest as she traced the scars that came when he suffered from the red death, the disease that took both of his parents, or at least his father and his mother sacrificing herself so that her love could live. Visenya's heart clenched with love for him, feeling Jaenyx kiss the crown of her head with all the affection in the world._

_A pleased sigh left Visenya's mouth. "You are the… finest lover that has ever lived."_

_Hearing his chuckle, she felt Jaenyx pulling her closer to him. Both deciding to forgo night garments as he yanked the sheet and light blanket atop them to ward off the evening winds that blew into Dragonstone. "You sure about that?" Jaenyx eyed her. "I'm the only you've been with."_

_"No one can compare with you," Visenya kissed his jawline. "Though Egg and Rhae might have something to say about that."_

_Jaenyx looked at her, amused. Visenya frowned as she began smacking him lightly on the chest. "Do you not trust my words? You are the greatest pleaser I've known and certainly better than the unfeeling self you show others," Visenya only brought up his normal and passionless self when she was irritated with him, or wanted to do some teasing. _

_"My apologies." Leaning forward, he kissed her sweetly on the neck, making her purr. "Tell me, how do both of those selves compare with each other?" They played this game before, all the time shortly after they were married and especially after they were crowned._

_"The self I see now, that's what a true dragon should be. Full of passion." Shifting, finding the most comfortable position for her pregnant belly, Visenya sighed happily when she settled by his side. Head on his pec and arm and leg tossed across him. "I like you better this way and I want to see your smiles more often when we're not… coupling. Your face without your smile makes you look like a piece of wood."_

_Raising an eyebrow at her, Jae looked confused. "What?"_

_"You're about to be a kepa, Jae. Do you really want our sons and daughters not knowing how to express themselves to other people? With expression comes strength, which I learned to do in order to scare off small-minded men."_

_Jaenyx nodded. "I'll try, Vis. Only for you."_

_"Don't try. Just do," she playfully flicked his nose._

_"Okay. I will be more… open with my feelings from now on."_

_Sighing in happiness, Visenya pulled him closer to her. "You're full of passion, Jae. I just want others to see that."_

_They spent the rest of the night either resting or continuing their lovemaking before they had to separate. "Be safe, Jae," she said to him before she boarded the ship._

_"I know you will," Jaenyx answered confidently._

* * *

Visenya flew on Vhagar above the northern bank of the river near Ironoaks. Four thousand men aboard what remained of Daemon's vessels and other smaller ships that he was able to collect from around the Blackwater Bay had landed as close to the seat of House Waynwood as they could, which involved sailing past the mouth of the river that was watched over by Runestone and Old Anchor and stopping near a fork. One lead to Redfort and the other to Ironoaks.

She knew that concealing such a force from the Valemen would be next to impossible no matter where they landed, so she had decided to land as close to the Eyrie as they could while raising as much alarm as possible. The Royces of Runestone and the Melcolms of Old Anchor would surely send warnings to their bannermen on the incoming army of the She-Dragon and to other houses that would soon be threatened by their presence. Sailing around Witch Isle had also achieved the same purpose, which meant that the Arryns had two locations that warned of their approach and thus surely prompting a massive response.

Besides from the obvious threats from the Vale banners, there were also risks that came with sailing so far down the river towards an important fortification close to the Eyrie. They could not maneuver freely due to its narrowness and they would surely be trapped if the Vale sent ships to counter them from behind. Also, the troops were about to enter terrain that their enemies knew intimately and thus not give ground easily. They were many unknown elements that would be in play once they set up their first camp and they had to be very cautious.

However, there were a few factors that served as an advantage. Despite the losses suffered by Daemon at Gulltown, the Vale fleet was also crippled and thus had to remain docked. Visenya conducted a search on any of the Braavosi sellsword ships that might show up, but she strangely found none at either the Fingers, Witch Isle, or any other potential harbor. _Braavos can call upon more ships, but as Jaenyx said, they're sellswords so their numbers might be limited._

Another that worked in their favor was the small size of the force. While four thousand was obviously not enough to take on the might that the Vale could muster in a pitched battle, they could also move faster and did not have rely on an elaborate supply network that larger armies operating far from home had to. They could thus live off the land and pave the way for the landing of another wave if need be.

More importantly, their small size will stump the Vale lords before causing them to act with overconfidence. It's a known fact that taking a vital area such as the Vale proper would require more than four thousand men, which will make whoever comes their way presume that the dragons were acting foolishly and send troops without much precautions. They would never know that the four thousand under Visenya's command was not the main thrust but merely a diversion for the approximately twenty thousand men that would cross the Mountains of the Moon, a place where they would not expect an army to successfully traverse anyway but it was still good to conduct deception.

Those thoughts passed through her mind as Visenya had Vhagar land near the encampment, which was right next to the fork that lead to both Ironoaks and Redfort.

_Circle above us, girl. If you see any Valemen march towards us, roar, _she told her dragon.

_Got it. And I'll come down to get you if we have a fight coming our way, _Vhagar said through her bond as she flew back into the air.

Visenya walked throught the hastily raised tents, with each of the men bowing their heads and addressing her as "Your Grace." _Well, certainly better than 'my lady,'_ she mused. She then approached the appointed commander of the four thousand, Lord Marlon Umber.

"Your Grace," he dipped his head as he kissed her proffered hand.

"Lord Marlon," she addressed him.

Visenya had concerns about taking the Umbers along. While she could count on the Celtigar footmen who came with her and while she had a working relationship with Maerys Tarareon, who proved to be an expert horse rider besides her brother, the Umbers were a house she had yet to really work with despite meeting Lord Marlon for first time at Widow's Watch and again at Fairmarket. The Umbers commanded three thousand men, of which two thousand and five hundred had marched south and present in the Vale, but they were not known for executing complex tactical maneuvers and their combat experience was mostly derived from fighting wildlings, a very different foe compared to the more discipline and hardened knights of the Vale.

However, she put her concerns aside when Brandon and the Mormont ladies strongly recommended that Marlon Umber accompany her. "If the Umbers come into contact with the Vale mountain clans, they're very likely to fight them rather than the Arryns. After all, they'll probably see people that look like wildlings to them," Brandon explained.

"In addition, it might do some good for Lord Marlon if he engages with real opponents rather than those who would more likely flee the field," Bethany said. "Who knows? Maybe his view on battle could change once he sees how hard it really is to fight against knight in plate armor."

Visenya relented after they made their case and thus allowed Marlon Umber to come with her.

"How are we with the bridge?" she asked the Lord of Last Hearth.

"We began progress as soon as we disembarked, Your Grace," he answered. "But I fear that we might not finish once the enemy comes."

"Don't worry about that," Visenya dismissed. "Besides, that will make them come faster, wouldn't you agree?"

Lord Marlon grinned. "Of course, Your Grace. The Umbers are ready to fight against the Vale bastards and give them a proper northman introduction."

"I expect nothing less, my lord," Visenya smiled back. "But take care as to not do anything rash. We are outnumbered and thus need every man to keep fighting for as long as possible, at least until my sister, Lord Snow, and Ladies Mormont arrive."

"I'll keep that in mind, Your Grace," Lord Marlon nodded, even though it was with great hesitance. _I like that he has fighting spirit, but for now, we have to be cautious._

The plan was to dismantle some of the boats they brought with them, with their wood being used to build a pontoon bridge and other types of equipment like ladders and battering rams until they found more wood. The purpose for this bridge was mainly to cut off Ironoaks and the Redfort from the narrow sea and to provoke them both into sending their troops, as the bridge would deprive them of their most viable supply route and threatening their control over one of the most important rivers of the Vale. On top of that, the Eyrie relies on supplies gained through that river, so that would also prompt them to send troops directly sworn to House Arryn to assist.

But while everyone in the camp knew the importance of completing that bridge, they also were perturbed that they were using some of their own boats to construct it. For Visenya, this was her way of silently telling them to fight hard since that would be the only chance of surviving until Rhaenys and Brandon Snow arrived.

For now, they had to build the bridge and wait for the enemy to come. _Please hurry, Rhae._

* * *

"Release!" Maerys shouted in High Valyrian to their bowmen as they laid down a volley onto the incoming Valemen. She had waited until they were close enough for their armor-piercing arrows to land clear kills, causing as much casualties as possible so that they would send more of their troops into the fray.

They were just about to the complete the other half of the pontoon bridge that would be planted on the southern bank, but seeing what they were about to, the Redforts and Waynwoods, even some bannermen from House Grafton and those directly sworn to the Eyrie, had assembled an army to attack their camp before the bridge was complete. From what Visenya could see from Vhagar's back, she counted at least nine thousand men bearing down on them, with one thousand being mounted knights. But besides seeing the banners of House Arryn, she could not see Sharra Arryn herself. _Right. Her son is still young and she's technically not of Vale stock, so it might not be a good image for a Reachwoman to lead Valemen._

Unsurprisingly, the Valemen decided to attack first, trusting their numbers to act as a heavy weight against their smaller-numbered opponents. They began with a charge of their knights, oriented towards the right wing, which was under the command of Maerys Tarareon. The Tarareons fought just as well on foot as on horseback and thus stood their ground when men in plate armor came down on them.

Visenya had placed the right wing, Maerys' troops, on the northern bank of the river facing the Valemen coming from Ironoaks, while the left flank, led by Marlon Umber, was on the southern bank. The center was under her own control, which protected their base, the camp from where the bridge started to be constructed. She had elected to stay on foot while Vhagar would circle around and release dragonfire when she called for it. _Not yet, though. We have to get them close enough._

She looked to the right wing, where Maerys began to drop several Vale knights with her armor-piercing arrows. But while her insistence on releasing their arrows at close range did fell many, it also allowed the knights to get within closer reach to their right flank. Eventually, Maerys ordered the footmen to lower their pikes and prepare for the onslaught. As expected, many horses were pieced and knights fell to the ground as the pikes blunted their charge.

Over on the left wing, the Umbers kept formation as another charge of the knights was about to crash into them. The Celtigar footmen lowered the pikes and the same thing that had happened on the right wing also occurred, with many Vale knights unhorsed.

Looking forward, Visenya saw that her center was strangely not yet engaged. Looking over her flanks and judging from the intensity of the attacks, she started to see what the enemy was doing. They wanted to envelop her, judging that their flanks would not last long under a charge of their knights and then finishing up with a force of infantry, whose purpose was cleanup. They saw the center and their camp as unimportant, as they wanted to destroy the bridge from both ends.

Indeed, as time passed, Maerys and Marlon Umber had to step back when the now dismounted knights and Vale footmen started to wear their men down. _If this continues likes this, we might have a defeat on our hands._

As her center was currently still unengaged, Visenya turned to her personal guard. "Take half of the men and reinforce Maerys Tarareon. The other half shall go to Marlon Umber. Tell them to contest every inch of ground."

"What about the camp, Your Grace?"

"Leave that to me," Visenya ordered him before he relayed her orders.

Soon, only a hundred men remained to protect the camp as the rest were redeployed to shore up their flanks. She gripped Dark Sister tightly in her hands, knowing that their weakened center would present an opportunity that the Valemen would never pass up.

But, when she looked over her right and left wings again, the enemy's progress had slowed considerably. The sight of additional men supporting the flanks must've reinvigorated the men under Maerys and Marlon Umber, who fought back with renewed intensity while the bowmen continued to lay arrows into the Valemen.

_They're about to move on you,_ Visenya heard Vhagar speak through their bond. _Do you want me to burn them?_

_Not yet, _she replied. _Once they get close enough, then you can burn them._

_Don't risk yourself_, Vhagar warned.

_I won't, _Visenya reassured her dragon.

Just as Vhagar said, a force of Valemen, all wearing the broken wheel of House Waynwood with some Arryn banners among them, marched on Visenya and her hundred men. But seeing that they had her outnumbered, they broke formation and charged.

Understandably, some of the men quaked in their boots, afraid of such numbers about to engage them. "Steady," Visenya urged them. "Just a little closer and we shall unleash hell."

_Keep charging,_ she thought. _Just close enough so that I can see the white in your eyes._

Finally, when the Valemen were about to be within a hundred paces of her position, she reached out to her dragon. _Turn them to dust_.

_With pleasure_. Vhagar finally made her presence known, her roar startling many on the field as a dark shape flew above them. Diving towards the center, the orange dragon opened her mouth and unleashed her fire on the Valemen, incinerating hundreds right before Visneya and her hundred men. Screams resembling high-pitched pig squeals could be heard, as armor and swords melted and the relative calm that had once occupied this part of the valley was broken with the touch of dragonfire.

Raising Dark Sister, she turned to her hundred men. "Follow me, men!" Seeing their commander and princess charge through the flames unafraid and willing to enter the fray, her hundred men became filled with a courage that they had never felt before and yelled as they followed her.

Running past the charred or still burning corpses and disorganized chaos of the survivors, Visenya push-kicked a Valeman's shield away from him, forcing him to the ground before she slashed his throat with Dark Sister. Another tried to stick her with a pike, only for her to parry it, grab its shaft, and pull him towards as she ran him through with her sword.

Valyrian steel sliced off the head of a halberd, as Visenya rammed it through a chink in the chain mail of yet another Valemen, blood spurting as she drew it back and prepared to face the next threat. She had used her short stature to her great advantage, able to slide around wide swings and slash at legs with impunity. She also used some of what Konno Haru recommended with her legs, crouching down and spinning around while extending her right leg to throw a dismounted knight off of his feet. Pinning him to the ground, she thrust Dark Sister into his exposed neck.

Various corpses started to line her path, but she grew tired as moments passed by. It also didn't help that she was carrying Jaenyx's child in her, although he or she was well-protected by the dragon coat. One tried to slice her belly open with a slash of the sword, momentarily scaring her to death. However, the bastard was stumped at her dragon coat was not cut, causing her to smirk in relief and decapitate him with a swing across his neck.

Finally, she saw what she assumed as a high-ranking knight of House Waynwood. She ran towards him while he seemed distracted, slid underneath several attacks from either swords or axes from other Valemen looking to kill the she-dragon, and cut though his horse's legs. But to her frustration, the Waynwood knight was able to stand up and unsheathed his sword. _His legs crushing would've been nice._

Resuming her pose, Visenya managed to deflect a blow from the Waynwood knight before she brought her hilt up and struck him in the helm, stunning him. Deciding to push her advantage further, she kicked him in the groin, causing him to grab it while yelling in pain. _There are no rules in battle, _she reminded herself. Before he could regain his posture, she raised Dark Sister and slammed the sword down on his neck, seeing his head roll on the ground before looking up.

Having seen the dragon burn their brethren for the first time since Seaguard and on their home ground was frightening enough, but seeing the she-dragon personally cut through several of their comrades and a senior knight of House Waynwood was just too much for them to handle. Thus, what was left began a hasty but orderly withdrawal.

As for her hundred men who stood by her, all of them sporting a mix of Tarareon, Umber, and Celtigar sigils, they ran to their commander, in awe of her courage. "Your Grace, are you wounded?" one of them asked.

"No. Thank you," she said before looking at the man who asked her, who had an Umber surcoat, was large in size, and had a bushy beard. "What's your name?"

"Morgan, Your Grace. I hail from Last Hearth."

"Find me after we clean up. I shall talk with Lord Marlon on how to best to reward you for bravely standing by me," Visenya patted his shoulder.

"Thank you, Your Grace," Morgan dipped his head in gratitude.

"And that goes for the rest of you," she addressed them. "Find your leaders, approach me, and I shall arrange your rewards. You've fought well today, so let's continue to give these bastards a good beating."

"Hear, hear!" Morgan shouted his affirmation and the rest followed. They all patted her back hard as she went to her tent, where she would enjoy respite before continuing on. _If only you'd seen me today, Jae, _Visenya thought before rubbing her belly, relieved that it was untouched. _Whoever our child will be, he or she will be a great warrior like the both of us._

**A/N: The battle was based on the Stones River (1863). I hope that I met expectations with Visenya, a skilled commander and badass warrior. And that hundred men will be important later in the story, as she now has a group of warriors who she saw stand by her in the face of danger. **

**The Vale campaign will run differently than in canon. My reasoning is because I want to show that the Vale is not invulnerable to attack. Tribes in Germania thought the Rhine was their ultimate protection, only for Julius Caesar to prove them wrong by building a bridge and killing many of the Germanic tribes. The result was that no one from Germania advanced on the Roman frontier for centuries. That's what I intend to do for the Vale in this story. Besides dragons, the army crossing the mountains will show them that given enough commitment, the Mountains of the Moon will not protect them. **

**Next up, we've got more campaigns further south. **


	44. Aegon IX

**A/N: Hope you are all staying safe. We're about to reopen slowly, but take care to not disregard safety. **

**And sorry, I've been busy with my graduate program (almost done). This is a slow chapter, but I hope this is worth the wait :)**

Aegon IX

Aegon walked amongst the field outside the citadel on the Blackwater Rush, the same field where Orys killed Gawen Gardener and on which his body alongside nine thousand corpses from the Reach lay. After giving them proper burials, he ordered the men to collect their armor and their swords, all of which were to be joined by the others stashed away along with those taken from the dead ironborn at Harrenhal and the dead men at the Red Fork and outside Raventree Hall.

For the time being, the lines in the riverlands had remained stable. They had elected not to advance on Riverrun or on the parts of the region that were not under their control. Even though Riverrun was an impressive fortress and allowed whoever was in control to exert power over the Red Fork, those were the only advantages that it had. Therefore, it would have taken an army and some time to take it from Edmyn Tully, both of which that they couldn't afford to give at this stage in the war.

The threat remained from the west and from the Reach, however. Loren Lannister could still upon an army to strike back, which had the potential of reversing all of their progress in the riverlands if applied at a certain point. Plus, there were thousands more that Mern Gardener could call upon and they had to retain their advantage gained thanks to Orys.

As Aegon thought on all of the dangers that lingered against them, his thoughts turned on a rather innocuous matter.

"Not sure what to do with all of the blades, Jae," Aegon told Jaenyx.

"What do you mean?" Jaenyx asked.

"It seems rather… burdensome for us to possess such a high volume of swords if they have no wielders. There might be some value in melting them down and turning into more swords or other things that could be used, but seems like a waste still," Aegon thought aloud.

"You're right," Jaenyx agreed. "So, we have to make a new use for them, one that no other ruler has ever thought of."

Aegon turned to Jaenyx, his eyebrow raised in confusion. "What do you mean by that?"

"Well… you are a king after all. You have to have a throne, as all rulers should."

"Wouldn't the dragonglass throne on Dragonstone be sufficient?" Aegon saw no problem with that.

"Maybe, but we are bringing about change in Westeros. And the throne on Dragonstone has been around since before we were both born. If we used a throne that already exists, that would defeat the purpose of what we're trying to do, wouldn't it?" Jaenyx asked.

Now that his good-brother brought it up, Aegon saw the sense behind his words. "So, what do you suggest?"

"For now, we continue using Dragonstone as a capital until the war is done. But once our station as rulers has been cemented before all on this continent, we have to start thinking about a new capital, and thus a new throne," Jaenyx pointed out.

"How?"

"Well, the citadel behind us is a good start," Jaenyx pointed to it. "It's located on three hills, it commands the entrance to the mouth of the Blackwater Rush, and it's already defensible. Since it was built with our own hands, we should relocate all of our activities from Dragonstone to this citadel. That way, we can say to all that the new capital was built using our own efforts instead of relying on the efforts of those who have lived past our time."

"Any suggestions on what we should name the citadel after all of that is done?" Aegon inquired.

"Well, this is the first place where we landed on Westeros as we struck back against the ironborn and King Argilac. Something that symbolizes that moment would suffice, but it should also be a name where anyone can understand the meaning," Jaenyx added.

Aegon rubbed his chin and thought about the name. "What about… Dragon's Landing?"

"Hmmm," Jaenyx said aloud before shaking his head. "As tempting as that sounds, doesn't exactly have that punch when people think of places of importance. How about this? What do you think of when you hear the name 'Harrenhal?'"

"It's a large fortress that was supposed to represent Black Harren's control over the riverlands and show to all that he is unstoppable," Aegon answered.

"Exactly, Egg," Jaenyx nodded. "And what do you think of when you hear 'Storm's End?'"

"A mighty place where even the gods couldn't drive out Durran despite all of their efforts, proving that he was a match for the gods," Aegon replied.

"As you probably learned, the places mentioned have a deeper meaning behind them, but all represent the history behind them. Well, Harrenhal had a rather short history compared to Storm's End, but you seem my point, right?" Aegon bobbed his head. "Good. So, the citadel behind us. It has to have a name that represents the history behind it, even though it was only several moons ago."

Aegon scratched his head in contemplation. "But isn't Dragon's Landing representative of that?"

"That would imply that only dragons live there and that is the only place that they would rest, which isn't true. Dragons can land anywhere and can be everywhere, which is what we want people to understand. The meaning has to represent us, the dragon riders," Jaenyx explained.

Aegon sighed. _So, this is what I have to worry about. Setting precedents. _He didn't deny the sense behind his good-brother's words, but he never thought about having to deal with such matters for a long time. _But if I am going to set a good foundation for our rule, I have to set a good example for others to follow, including my children._

"How about… King's Landing? Although we didn't set foot on Westeros to become rulers, that is what we will be in the end. I could say 'Rulers' Landing,' but doesn't have that kick in the words that we want others to feel," Aegon proposed.

Jaenyx pursed his lips in thought before bobbing his head. "I like it. Although Rhae might be a bit offended that you said 'King' instead of 'Queen.'"

"You know what? That's not a bad idea also," Aegon said before acting like a herald. "Make way, for the queen is landing!"

Jaenyx snorted. "I'm going to tell her that you said that. You might have you bend the knee to her after that."

Aegon snickered. "Oh, gods. Don't I do that already?"

"Wait, what?"

_Shit. _"Um, nothing."

"Wait, wait. Do you… do the… thing with your tongue?"

Aegon laughed nervously, knowing exactly what he meant. "Um, Rhae does that more than I do."

Jaenyx shook his head in amusement. "Oh, my. So different from Vis then."

"How do you do it with Vis? She's not an easy woman to please, as you know," Aegon crossed his arms.

"Well, after our first time, I did this to her," Jaenyx wiggled his fingers into a hole that he made with his other hand. _Ah, so that's his secret._

"So, you pleasure her before you both do your business?" Aegon concluded.

"I'm not sure if we should discuss this out loud, but yes. And then sometimes, she pleasures me," Jaenyx admitted.

Aegon chuckled. "My gods. Thanks for the ideas, Jae."

"My advice," Jaenyx put his arm on Aegon's shoulders and pulled him for a whisper. "Go all in with your fingers. You're both dragons, so she should handle it."

Aegon slapped his good-brother's chest before nodding his thanks. "Now about those swords we have, any idea on what we can use them?"

"We need a new place to conduct our affairs besides Dragonstone, and we also need a new throne. We can't use gold or wood or any other trinkets because that would debase our rule from the start," Jaenyx said.

"How so?"

"We need a throne that is special, that can't be made by other's efforts, or the meaning of the throne would be erased since anyone can make a seat of gold. The material has to be something that cannot be easily molded and only by us, since it shows that only those with dragonblood can sit on it," Jaenyx explained.

_He keeps giving such good ideas,_ Aegon mused. "The swords, then?"

Jaenyx smiled. "Now we're talking. But we should wait until our enemies are vanquished. That way, we have all of the swords from our foes, which we can use to forge the new throne. A throne made of iron and steel."

Aegon nodded in approval. "I like it, Jae." He then snapped his fingers. "That reminds me. You were going to teach me on how to conduct proper information-gathering."

"Right," Jaenyx remembered. "Follow me."

Walking back to the citadel, they went into their manor and the solar, where pieces of parchment were laid out across the table.

As the master of whisperers, Jaenyx was responsible for collecting all of the information that the family and their allies needed to stay one step ahead of their adversaries. He taught Aegon to organize any tips and other pieces of information in a chronological order, as any other categories would make organizing their sources into a cohesive network more difficult.

"But why do you have so much parchment?" Aegon asked. "What if someone sneaked in and grabbed them?"

"Well, I have a solution to that," Jaenyx said as he grabbed a bunch of parchment and threw them in the burning hearth. "There's a process for each parchment written. You have to write down every piece of information onto them until you judge which to retain and which to burn. A clear objective is important to any information you gather, as that will narrow down which sources to trust and which tips to act on. And having several parchments allows me to cross-reference each report and see which tips are the most trustworthy. Do you understand, Egg?"

"I would like a demonstration," Aegon requested, which Jaenyx nodded to.

"All right. Take, for example, this report I got from one of my agents on the lines near Riverrun. She told me that the Lannister cavalrymen have gone silent ever since Gawen Gardener died and that there is talk about the Reynes being angered at Lord Weslar's son Ser Bailen being imprisoned at Casterly Rock."

"Why was he imprisoned?" The case regarding House Reyne was very interesting to Aegon ever since he met the Lord of Castamere near Harrenhal alongside King Loren and his other lords.

"Apparently, he was the castellan of Casterly Rock when we rescued Orys and he was punished for dereliction of duty," Jaenyx answered before picking up another piece of parchment. "Now, this report talked about the movements of the Reyne cavalry retreating back towards western mountains instead of resuming their positions near Riverrun. If the cavalrymen sworn to King Loren remained active, we'd hear about their movements in either the riverlands or in the Reach. From these two reports alone, what conclusion can be drawn?"

Aegon caught on. "There are problems within the ranks of the Lannister bannermen."

"Correct," Jaenyx set both reports down on the table. "Now, the next step is to find a way to exploit that. While we remain united, we must seek discord among our enemies. And once disunity reigns, the fight will become much easier for us."

"How do you suggest we cause discord?"

"Using the right person at the right time, but I'm still thinking," Jaenyx answered.

"Konno Haru must've taught you well. You know everything there is to know about manipulation and getting information, it seems," Aegon noted.

"Well, you don't become an assassin without learning at least a few tricks," Jaenyx said. "And once this war is over, you're going to have to do some manipulation on your part. Peace is not really peace, as it's just fighting without all of the bloodshed."

Aegon had to agree. There were tensions whenever he saw his father deal with his partners around the Blackwater Bay and if it went the wrong way, there could've been open fighting between them. _My father learned how to operate amongst lords and now I will have to put all of my knowledge to the test._

Then, Aegon saw a piece of parchment on the table that had the title "Words from His Lordship Harlan of House Tyrell, High Steward of Highgarden." Pulling it from under the other parchment, Aegon read the rather large piece thoroughly:

_"The Valyrians cannot be trusted when it comes to families. The most notorious example is that of the one who calls himself a prince, Jaenyx Belaerys. He is a man of repressed tastes, all of which are only aimed at others who carry the blood of old Valyria. He isn't loyal to his wife Visenya Targaryen and in fact seeks comfort in the arms of whores from Lys, which he visits every week on his dragon and spends most of the week with them. It is said that he draws more pleasure from between the legs of Lysene whores than he does his own wife, which says much about what kind of a man this Jaenyx Belaerys is, as he seeks to introduce Valyrian traditions to Westeros and thus foster disloyalty to our wives and husbands by giving in to our pleasures."_

Aegon was shocked. He knew that this was not true, but here was a parchment that had the seal of the High Steward of Highgarden. He then continued reading:

_"This pretender king, this Aegon Targaryen, who claims to rule over us because he crowned himself before northern barbarians and other Valyrians, is a sinner of the highest order. He takes his own sister to bed, but only sees his wife, who fashions herself a queen, as someone he can easily control. Rhaenys is said to a delicate woman of fine complexion, which Aegon uses to his advantage by making her bend to his well. And it was said that he was supposed to be marry his other sister Visenya, the wife of Jaenyx the whoremonger, but he didn't like it because Visenya was just like him. They both like to fight and they both have no mercy for those that slight them. Aegon chose Rhaenys because she was an easy woman and that is what dragons do. They go after easy prey because they can."_

Aegon's nostrils flared at such falsehoods. _Who the fuck had the gall to write this? _He crumpled the parchment in his hands while his arms shook in anger at such slander at his family. There was more, but he couldn't read without losing his temper.

"I wouldn't rip it apart if I were you," Jaenyx said.

That surprised Aegon. "You knew about this?"

"Of course. It's part of my responsibilities," Jaenyx replied nonchalantly.

"And you're not… angry about it?"

"Of course, I am angry," but Jaenyx was quite emotionless about it. "But I know the truth and I won't let others say what my marriage and love for Visenya is like. Just a pack of lies in order to discredit us. You shouldn't let it get to you."

"How can't I? They insulted Rhae and me!"

"This won't be the first time you'll have slander like this," Jaenyx grabbed his shoulders. "When you have power, people will try to take it from you. No matter how much good you do, it's a fact. And this is just one of the ways our enemies try to tear us apart."

"And you're not bothered by what they said about you?" Aegon had to ask.

Jaenyx scoffed. "If I get angry at every slight that comes my way, I won't last very long. Besides, these people have an understanding of family that is based around such a backwater religion. And they're letting their prejudices dictate their thoughts. And this slander is not very impressive."

"But we have to respond to this. I can't let insults to Rhae go unpunished," Aegon meant that.

"And we shall, but in due time," Jaenyx pulled up the parchment that contained the slander. "For now, we know who wrote it and thus we know who to deal with when we eventually march to Highgarden. We'll decide whether to kill this… Harlan Tyrell or punish him severely for such slander at that particular time. But for now, we have to focus on the war."

"And how goes our progress in the Vale?" Aegon asked.

"Very good," Jaenyx was glad to switch the topics. "Visenya won and thus presented a grave danger to the Eyrie. I got reports that the Vale lords are sending more of their troops to the Vale proper to deal with Vis and Lord Umber. This will allow the troops under Rhae, Lord Snow, and the Mormont sisters to make their way to the Eyrie relatively undetected."

"Good," Aegon nodded. "I also heard from Orys that they're about to launch a major offensive against Prince Edmund along the Slayne."

"About time," Jaenyx responded. "The stormlands have to be liberated before we deliver the lethal blow."

"Agreed. So at this point, we have to start moving on the northern Reach," Aegon looked at the map.

"The sooner we do so, the sooner we can press our advantage," Jaenyx assented.

"I shall inform Lord Torrhen and the northern lords of our plans," Aegon concluded.

Later that day, Aegon informed Torrhen Stark, Larence Karstark, Ethan Reed, Warrick Manderly, Joseth Glover, and Rogar Bolton about their strategy while Jaenyx told Rhaedar Tarareon, and Aevor Rahitheon.

The next morning, twenty-five thousand men marched from the Blackwater Rush towards the Mander, with Warrick Manderly showing a particular excitement over visiting the river from which his family took its name. Aegon and Jaenyx flew above the army on Balerion and Cloudwynd, both making their presence known through their rowars.

_The Reach shall see what happens when they try to provoke us,_ Aegon promised.

* * *

Aegon stood in front of the walls of the castle of Tumbleton. The army had just come within sight of the market town of Tumbleton, which was near the source of the great river of the Mander, and this was only the first step into assaulting the most important kingdom sworn to the Faith coalition.

The town, founded during the famed Age of Heroes, was about fifty leagues or over one hundred and seventy miles southwest of their citadel on the Blackwater Rush. But that town was not the major lynchpin for control of the entire northern Reach. It was merely a steppingstone towards their first major objective, Stonebridge.

Aptly named after the old stone bridge that spanned the length of the Mander, Stonebridge was not a particularly well-fortified town, with its castle not especially tall, and would not be too difficult to take once Tumbleton was secured. At the same time, it wouldn't take long for the Reachmen to ascertain their goals and once Stonebridge was taken, they would respond accordingly.

Aegon knew that the enemy knew that the key to triumph in the Reach was to control the Mander and then Highgarden, the castle built by House Gardener in the days of Garth the Gardener and from which his descendants expanded their control over the regions near the Mander. All of the areas north of the river represented the literal breadbasket of the Kingdom of the Reach, in which all of the harvests were stored within Highgarden.

But taking Highgarden and the Mander would not be easy tasks by themselves. Despite the death of Prince Gawen and the decimation of the Reach's reserves, the Reachmen still had Mern the Ninth of His Name and his heir Prince Edmund to rally around. They also still commanded forty thousand men, some of whom could be diverted back to the Reach even though it might weaken their positions along the Slayne in the stormlands. Also compounding their difficulty was the city of Oldtown itself, probably the largest city on Westeros besides Lannisport.

Aegon had been there before in addition to the Arbor, both of which he was accompanied by Visenya. It was a massive city made of stone and cobbled avenues, with activity down at the ports bustling day and night. Goods and people from all over the known world had congregated on the docks, the only place within Westeros where they could, and Aegon remembered purchasing some silk from a Volantene merchant, which he gifted to Rhaenys on her name-day. How she smiled over her brother-husband giving her such a rare commodity was one of the things that Aegon kept remembering. Well, before they became a married couple and they made love, which resulted in their child. _Hope she's doing all right in the Vale._

Going back to the strategic situation, taking Oldtown and the parts of the Reach further south required expertise that they did not have at that moment. Sieging a castle was already filled with much complications, as the besiegers had to be regularly supplied and their equipment remaining in good condition. There was no telling how long a siege would last, and there were many castles deep within the Reach that would require efforts that would dwarf their actions at Harrenhal.

Sieging a city, on the other hand, required an army that would vastly outnumber the city garrison and any member of the population that would take up arms. For a port city, they would need ships to cut off all supply routes from the sea and ensure that all fishing boats were destroyed. They would also need thousands of siege equipment and good information on where to strike in order to minimize casualties, but heavy casualties were still unavoidable in sieges. The only reason why Harrenhal was burnt was because they had dragons.

Balerion, Meraxes, Cloudwynd, Vhagar, Oceanwave, and Vermidrexes could easily burn the city to the ground, and Aegon wouldn't mind if the Starry Sept or the Citadel both disintegrated from dragonfire. _Regrettable, since I did enjoy learning what I learned from the maesters there. _At the same time, Oldtown was the center of the Faith of the Seven and destroying such a city would validate the Faith's perceptions on the dragons and their family. So, they would have to resort to a more gradual process of introducing people to the Valyrian faith without sparking widespread unrest for which the Valyrians were ill-prepared to handle.

For the moment, Aegon and the family had to resort to conventional styles of siege, particularly for Oldtown. But at that moment, they had neither the ships nor the manpower to take on such a large city. To get both, they would have to get from any houses that would defect to their side, which was easier said than done given that the dragons had no intention of becoming followers of the Faith among other things.

Another way that they could gain additional numbers for their army was to destroy those that would resist them. At least for the Reach, Aegon knew that the Gardeners had to be eliminated, as their hold over the Kingdom of the Reach would make them dangerous foes even if they did surrender. They were not ironborn, but they were too well-entrenched within the Reach and should the Gardeners get ideas to rebel, tens of thousands of men would flock to their banner. _But who would gain Highgarden and rule the Reach for us?_

Since the Valyrians and Northmen were outnumbered, they needed to show their strength and how numbers were irrelevant. The dragons helped gain and regain the riverlands, and the dragons helped take the stormlands from King Argilac. The same had to happen for the Reach and only after the kingdom is secure would the family engage in other activities such as dealing.

The best way to accomplish that was to draw out as much of the Reachmen as they could. Striking at Tumbleton and then at Stonebridge would accomplish that, as the northern Reach, particularly the parts that go along the Mander, represented the most populous and fertile lands of the kingdom besides those around Oldtown. It was in front of the walls of the small market town did Aegon and Jaenyx, along with Torrhen Stark, Larence Karstark, Ethan Reed, Warrick Manderly, Joseth Glover, Rogar Bolton, Rhaedar Tarareon, and Aevor Rahitheon, gather in front of its small castle. From they gathered, only forty men were garrisoned in it at any given time. In the face of at least twenty thousand men and two dragons, Tumbleton falling was an absolute certainty.

However, Aegon didn't want to deny the castle a chance to see reason. "You sure you want to do this, Your Grace?" Lord Larence asked. "We can take them before supper."

"I appreciate your zeal for combat, Lord Larence," Aegon said. "However, there is a time to fight and a time to talk. In this instance, let's give words a chance."

"He has a point, Larence," Torrhen turned to the Lord of Karhold. "There's less than fifty men there. You really think that they have a chance against us?"

"Also, we can't afford to spend more time and expend more effort than necessary on small skirmishes," Jaenyx added. "We must get to Stonebridge with all possible haste."

"Exactly," Aegon nodded. "Before the Reachmen react to us, we have to secure as much of the Mander as possible. The more lands we seize, the better our position becomes."

"Understood," Larence finally bobbed his head.

The doors of the small castle opened, from which a small band of men each carrying the sigil of House Footly, a field of silver caltrops on a black field, stepped through. An older man, presumably Lord Footly walked up to Aegon before stopping at a safe distance. Seeing Balerion cast his shadow over the small town and Cloudwynd circling the sky with him, the older man looked back at Aegon and sighed.

"Who are you, my lord?" Aegon asked him.

"I am Abelar of House Footly, Lord of Tumbleton," Lord Footly introduced himself.

"You are speaking to Aegon Targaryen, the King of Westeros, Lord Abelar. Address him as 'Your Grace!'" Jaenyx hissed.

"And who are you?"

"My good-brother, Prince Jaenyx Belaerys. You know him as the Blue Dragon. Address him with respect!" Aegon scolded him.

"Respectfully, I know no king but the King of the Reach and Lord of Highgarden, and he is not here at the moment," Lord Abelar tried to put a strong front, but was somewhat shaking at how much power he was facing.

"Brave man, aren't you?" Aegon had to admire his defiance, even though it was misplaced. "But perhaps you don't know the situation, Lord Abelar. I am here to unite this continent under one ruler and make the Seven Kingdoms into one, but I do not intend to have a quarrel with every small lord that comes my way. You have an opportunity here, a chance to set yourself in a very good position under my family's rule, and maybe come out ahead of your rivals."

Lord Abelar looked unconvinced, but Aegon saw just a little part in his eyes shift. _Appeal to their selfish natures, as Jae suggested._

"Of course, honor is something prized among the pious and I would not stop you if you chose to resist on behalf of your king. Then again, I would not interfere should the troops that you see here right now storm your castle, kill every man within the walls, and take what they want from the town. In times of war, such things happen, and I hope such an eventuality does not come to this beautiful town," Aegon said with some half-heartedness. _Come on. Just say you'll surrender._

"What about your dragons?" Lord Abelar pointed up to them.

"If you are afraid that I will burn this town if you don't surrender, let me say that your fears… are well-founded," Aegon stated, to Lord Abelar's surprise. _Why would he be surprised?_

"You will burn this town and the smallfolk within?" Lord Abelar was beginning to fail in hiding his fear.

"As if you'd care about them," Jaenyx said. "You probably never interacted with most of them in your worthless, pathetic life and the only reason why you'd be concerned about them is because they fill your pockets with taxes."

Lord Footly blinked, not expecting Jaenyx to say such cutting words to him.

"There are many ways for this to end, Lord Abelar, most of which will not end well for you and your house," Aegon continued. "But surrender and swear fealty at this moment and not only will all of you be spared the pain of fire, you may expect due rewards to come for your loyalty. I understand that you have standing rivalry with House Caswell at Stonebridge."

"And is this where you promise my house his seat?" Lord Abelar continued to be defiant, causing grumbles among the commanders. Jaenyx groaned, becoming increasingly bored at Lord Footly's stubbornness.

"No," Aegon shook his head. "But join us and House Caswell shall be your rival no more. You have much to gain by siding with us, rather than the nothing that awaits you if you continue to act like this."

Lord Abelar exhaled, fearful of the possibilities that would come no matter if they were beneficial or detrimental for his house. "The word of a Footly means something—"

"What does it mean exactly?" Jaenyx cut him off. "I never heard of your house until I came here and I'm sure that the rest of the men here did not even know your name." Torrhen and the northern lords chuckled at Lord Footly's expense. "If you're going to talk about honor and all that, at least support your words with past examples. As far as I can remember, you don't have any."

Lord Abelar gulped, giving Aegon his final opening. "Now, do you see my point? It's possible that your wisdom in the face of our strength will be recorded and your house can have words that mean something. Because as of now, you don't."

A few moments passed as Lord Abelar Footly thought through his options. Finally, he drew his sword, causing Aegon, Jaenyx, Torrhen, and the northern lords to reach for theirs, before he knelt down and buried his blade in the dirt. "I, Abelar of House Footly, Lord of Tumbleton, swear fealty to Aegon Targaryen, King of Westeros, and to Prince Jaenyx Belaerys. May the gods bear witness to my oath."

The rest of the party followed suit, drawing their swords from their scabbards and kneeling before Aegon and Jaenyx. Resting his hand on Blackfyre's pommel, Aegon walked up to Lord Footly and placed his hand on his shoulder.

"As King of Westeros, I accept your surrender. Tell your troops to hand over their arms to the troops and tell your factor to give me an accurate reporting of the food stores within the town. The army will need it," Aegon ordered him.

"But, Your Grace," Lord Abelar gulped before saying the proper address. _He's getting used to it. _"You can't just take our food. The people need it."

"We can," Jaenyx corrected him. "You might have seen reason, but don't forget that you answer to us now."

"That's right," Aegon agreed. "But rest assured. I have no intention of starving the townspeople. We will take only what we need, and we'll move on. You have my word on that."

"Thank you, Your Grace," Lord Footly dipped his head while still on the ground. Aegon bid him to stand up before turning to Torrhen.

"Have the men find quarters in the town and send scouts to Stonebridge. We move on that town by first light," Aegon ordered the Lord of Winterfell.

"Yes, Your Grace," he complied before following Lord Footly into the castle alongside the northern lords. As for Jaenyx, he issued orders to Lord Tarareon and Lord Rahitheon in High Valyrian, which Aegon understood as him getting both to fortify the town in case of attack.

"Easy start, Egg," Jaenyx noted.

"But it'll get harder from here," Aegon replied.

"I know. I have a feeling that the course of this war will be decided in the Reach. We must win here, or we'll face a longer war," Jaenyx warned.

Aegon sighed before nodding in agreement. "Let's get some rest before we move on to the next town. Much work to be done."

**A/N: And thus, we have our first mention of House Tyrell. But given their canon behavior, did they really publish that piece of slander because they actually believe it or is something else going on? **

**So, now we have a three-pronged assault on the Faith. Aegon and Jaenyx are moving on the Northern Reach, Visenya and Rhaenys on the Vale, and Orys on the stormlands that are occupied. Only the dragons can accomplish this. **

**And I hope that I covered the King's Landing and Iron Throne background well, especially the logic behind it. **

**Next, we have Rhaenys being the diplomat in the Vale**


	45. Rhaenys X

**A/N: I hope you all are continuing to be safe. The last few days have been busy for me due to the conclusion of my time as a graduate student and looking for jobs. But there's not much to cover in this chapter, but I hope this is sufficient. **

RHAENYS X

Rhaenys sat along with the Mormont sisters and Brandon Snow across from Sijurn, one of the leaders of the Moon Brothers clan but the only one who had agreed to meet them. As expected, Sijurn, along with the other members of the clan that had accompanied him, were dressed in dirtied furs, worn-out belts and boots, and rusty helmets. Whatever garments and shoes that seemed newer compared to the rest looked to be salvaged off of whatever Vale knight was unfortunate enough to become a victim.

At the same time, Rhaenys saw the importance of dealing with the mountain clans of the Vale, as they were the only ones who had the potential to help them and were most likely to possess intimate knowledge of the many passes of the seemingly unreachable mountain kingdom of House Arryn. Their enemies in the Vale, led by Sharra Arryn, would expect a strike into the Vale proper, as that was the only part of their lands where large-scale combat could commence and where the clearest approach to the Eyrie could be seen. Visenya, Lord Umber, and Maerys Tarareon were all too eager to oblige them, and won a great victory near Ironoaks, seat of House Waynwood and very close to the Eyrie itself. _Hopefully, her victory will force the other Vale houses to start pouring their strength into the proper, where Vis can keep them preoccupied while we approach the Eyrie from where they least expect it._

After departing with a combined force of fifteen thousand northmen and loyal rivermen from the Green Fork, they sent a thousand cavalry in the direction of the Blood Gate, in order to make the Arryns think that they would try to assault the Eyrie from the most logical and obvious directions. However, if they wanted to achieve surprise and overwhelm the Vale overlords, they had to approach the center of power from the most unlikely course.

After deliberating on the matter, they decided that they would cross into the Vale by way of the river that led to Strongsong, seat of House Belmore. Taking that castle, which commanded one of the other extensive rivers in the Vale, would also allow them to secure the banks closest to the Eyrie, in which there were no known tracks for good reason. Directly north of the seat of House Arryn was a tall massif that was said to be impenetrable, allowing the Kings of the Mountain and the Vale could focus on reinforcing the Bloody Gate.

Or tracks not known to the Arryns, according to Brandon. Going back to the mountain clans, he said, "They had two thousand years to know every pass and every rock in the Mountains of the Moon. How else do you think that they were able to evade the knights of the Vale for so long?"

"It's still risky. After all, they'll just see as another lowlander people invading lands that used to belong to them," Bethany Mormont responded.

"It's either we approach them, or we lose thousands of men assaulting the Bloody Gate and we cannot afford serious losses at this stage," Brandon was adamant. "Most importantly, you won't be in any risk."

"What do you mean?" Bethany asked.

"Meaning that I will approach Moon Brothers, who are near where we need to cross. They might be persuaded to talk if they Autumn here," he scratched his direwolf's head.

"And if they try to harm you?" Lyanara was worried.

"You know me. I can get out of danger myself, especially with Autumn by my side," Brandon assured her.

"Brandon, how soon can we expect a dialogue to start between us and the Moon Brothers?" Rhaenys wanted to proceed and make headway as soon as possible.

"It won't take long. You have my word," Brandon promised.

"While we wait, I will fly on Meraxes and see what pathways can be taken from above," Rhaenys stood up. "It won't hurt to seek out courses we can take ourselves."

Brandon nodded, as did the Mormont sisters. "That sounds logical, Your Grace. Allow me two weeks at the most and I shall return with an emissary from the Moon Brothers."

"You have your two weeks," Rhaenys gave her consent. "But be prepared for when we have to move out soon. We don't want to keep my sister and Lord Umber too busy, otherwise they might take all the credit for themselves."

The Mormont sisters chuckled at her jest, as did Brandon. "Plenty of glory to go around once this war is over, Your Grace, and all of us will get our share."

So, for two weeks, Rhaenys observed the Mountains of the Moon very closely as she flew on Meraxes. Starting from the Green Fork, she glided above a tributary that started from the various Vale glaciers, which then separated into three smaller ones. The northern most tributary was closest to the river where Strongsong was located and thus had the shortest width of mountain range that could be crossed. However, they didn't know which passes to take and if it could even be traversed at all.

Deciding to descend a little lower, Rhaenys was able to see in more detail the small valleys between the towering peaks, from the trees that dotted each of them to the small streams and even a hint of snow. But so far, she couldn't find any obvious routes that the army could take as they penetrated the Vale.

After getting all that she could from her flying, she returned to the army on the Green Fork and waited for Brandon's arrival. As promised, Brandon returned, but with ten members of what presumably were the Moon Brothers.

After offering them bread and salt, as even the Vale mountain clans treated guest rights as inviolable since they were descended from the First Men and would not treat with strangers without it, Rhaenys invited them to the command tent, where other lords such as Lord Poole, Lord Darry, and Lord Ryswell among others had also joined since they were the senior commanders left in the region.

"You are currently in the presence of Rhaenys of House Targaryen, Queen of Westeros and Shield of Her People. Caretaker of the Valyrians, the First Men, the Andals, and the Rhoynar. Lady of the Seven Kingdoms, the Silver Dragon, and the wife of King Aegon of Westeros, first of his name," Brandon introduced her to the Sijurn and the other nine members of the Moon Brothers, which also included four women.

After hearing Lord Snow list her titles, Sijurn yawned as he held his hand over his mouth which was surrounded by a bushy black stubble and unkempt black hair. His actions caused some displeasured looks among the other lords, but Brandon and Rhaenys merely shrugged it off, as the current situation outweighed whatever value they placed on ceremony, which wasn't very much. "Your Grace, may I present Sijurn, one of the chiefs of the Moon Brothers alongside his brother, Mathin," he continued.

"Welcome, Sijurn," Rhaenys greeted them. "Thank you for taking the time to see us, despite us being unfamiliar."

"We only came because of that man's wolf creature," Sijurn was being blunt. "Where else can you see such a beast in these parts?"

"Right," Rhaenys nodded. "I also assume that you saw my dragon, Meraxes."

"You mean the scaly bird that can breathe fire? Yeah, we saw it," one of the Moon Brother women answered.

"Not a bird," Rhaenys suppressed a laugh. "It's a creature unlike any other you've seen, besides Autumn. It can grow large enough for people to ride them and we can go long distances in a single day because of them."

"Are they like the dragons of the sea?" Sijurn asked eagerly.

"No," Rhaenys shook her head. "They're very different creatures and unlike sea dragons, the dragon that I ride is very real and can cause much damage if threatened."

Sijurn groaned, disappointed.

"But that's not why we're here," Brandon stepped in. "Sijurn, I asked you to come because Queen Rhaenys is in a position to offer back something that was taken from your people thousands of years prior to today."

"Spare the promises, Snow," Sijurn waved off. "It's not the first time that lowland lords tried to trap us with empty promises, and we've learned long ago not to trust any words that might come from their mouths, especially since they have tried to eliminate us many times."

"If you're talking about the houses in the Vale that have persecuted you for thousands of years, then I wouldn't disagree," Rhaenys gave them that. "But… I am not a lady. I am Queen of Westeros, only one of two that can ride a dragon, and promises don't work only when one of us decides not to keep our end of the bargain. You can ask anyone here. Whatever promises I make, or my husband, or my sister, or goodbrother, it'll be kept. No matter the circumstances, we make guarantees."

"I don't believe that," Sijurn scoffed, making a few of the lords ground their teeth in outrage.

But Rhaenys raised her hand, calming them down. "Okay. You came here with Lord Snow, but you seem to not be interested in what we have to say. So, what is it that you want to say?"

"Well… you may have a dragon, but all I see is a soft woman who is incapable of holding her own. You look like all of the lowland ladies that have come and gone, whose only interest is in song and moving your bodies around wantonly like whores," Sijurn held no bars back, earning more angry stares from the lords in attendance, even from the Mormont sisters. "And what doesn't help is that you don't look like you're from Westeros. Those Seven thumpers came with fair hair and bright eyes, which you also seem to have, and that's how we're able to know who's who. All of that considered, you have nothing to offer us and we have no reason to accept anything from you."

"Outrageous!" Lord Darry stood up. "Is this how barbarians speak? By using words as liberally as they would when they kidnap women?"

"Of course, you lowland lords would think that. We've only been doing what we did for thousands of years," Sijurn spat back.

"Enough!" Brandon stopped the argument from going further, which was helped by Autumn growling. Afraid of red direwolf, Sijurn and the others backed down.

As for Rhaenys, she took in all of the insults that the chief of the Moon Brothers threw at her. In another time, she would have lashed out and had Meraxes burn whoever said it. However, times were now different, and she needed to show that she was capable of operating on her own. Then, she found a way to get Sijurn to engage her without the rudeness.

"Do you shoot, Sijurn?" Rhaenys asked.

That confused the chief of the Moon Brothers and the rest inside of the tent. Brandon and the Mormont sisters immediately understood where she was going with this.

"I have to know how to shoot a bow and an arrow if I want to survive," Sijurn stated after a moment.

"Then, you wouldn't mind showing us your skill with the bow before us and showing me how fierce a chief of a mountain clan can be," Rhaenys crossed her arms.

"Why would I do that?"

"It's true. I like song and I like dancing, although I wouldn't know how a whore would move her body," she shrugged. "But, you're wrong about one thing. I know how to take care of myself and I have killed men before."

"I doubt it," Sijurn scoffed.

"So, I have a proposition," Rhaenys ignored him. "We both shoot bows and different targets. The one who scores the most hits in the center and in the fastest time wins."

Brandon and the Mormont sisters smiled, while the other lords became more puzzled.

"And what is the wager?"

"That you apologize for your insults and hear what we have to say, but you have to demonstrate polite behavior when we do," Rhaenys declared.

"And if you lose the wager?"

"Then, you can have as much food and ale as you want, and you are free to leave."

Brandon and the Mormont sisters weren't worried, even though the former had to put in the actual effort in approaching a potentially hostile group of people with or without Autumn.

"Done," Sijurn stood up eagerly. "I like to see you cry like all lowlander women do if you lose."

"If," Rhaenys merely answered with.

Soon enough, two targets were set up, with both Rhaenys and Sijurn readying their bows for the contest.

"First one to land fifteen arrows in the center," Brandon patted his hands on the straw targets. "Wins the wager. May the best archer win," he eyed Rhaenys, which she knew was his way of saying "Go get him."

_Sijurn won't know what hit him, _she promised to herself.

Nocking arrows, Sijurn and Rhaenys released them at the same time and hit their mark. But considering that this was their first arrow, no one was surprised.

"Come on, Sijurn. Beat the lowland woman!" some of the Moon Brother women cheered.

"Get him, Your Grace!" cheered some of the northmen and rivermen.

Rhaenys nocked another arrow and released it, hitting her mark again. Then the next arrow, the one after that, and the one afterwards.

But the thing about releasing many arrows over time is that the aim will gradually become off, as the muscles will get tired and the eyes lose focus after staring at only one thing for a long time. The more arrows released, the more chances an archer has in missing the target and tiring out.

Fortunately for Rhaenys, she had the benefit of being taught archery by Konno Haru and both of his sons. Harsh as they were, they knew how to instill discipline and taught her many techniques that would allow her to keep releasing arrows without losing her aim. But more importantly, they taught her to control the hot blood that would come whenever one was involved in battle, as hot blood led to rash decisions and easily avoidable mistakes, both of which could kill a person very quickly.

One of the techniques that Rhaenys used was to control her breathing, inhaling through her nose and exhaling through her mouth. Konno said to her, "Before you raise your bow, take a deep breath from your belly and think about what you want to achieve with that shot. Keep your breathing even as you shoot the arrow and stay focused on your movements. Don't focus on the target, which is a common mistake. By keeping your mind calm and focused on your technique, you're much more likely to hit the target over long periods of time."

And that was what she did. Breathing from her belly, she focused on how her arms held the bow and arrow and let it loose once she calmed herself. She didn't focus on what Sijurn was doing, as he was not her.

Unfortunately for the mountain clan chief, he didn't have the benefits of the Haru training and as he released his seventh arrow, he started to lose concentration and his arms began to tire. Seeing how calm the "lowland women" was, he began to worry and just let loose his arrows at his targets, which started to go off mark with each one afterwards.

Finally, both of the bowmen used their fifteen arrows, but Rhaenys was able to get all of them on mark while Sijurn got only ten.

Brandon, the Mormont sisters, and the northmen and rivermen all cheered for their queen, who humbly bowed, while Sijurn just stood there, shocked at how he was bested.

Putting her bow and quiver aside, she turned to the mountain clan chief. "I believe you owe me an apology."

Sijurn sighed before nodding. "Very well. I am sorry for calling you soft and for comparing you to a whore."

Rhaenys smirked. "If you are truly sorry, you will keep your mouth shut while we give you our proposal. I can promise you that it'll be an offer worth your while."

"If you say so," Sijurn grudgingly said.

* * *

"That was amazing, Your Grace," Lyanara Mormont couldn't stop her excitement after what she saw today.

"I'm glad you think so, Lady Lyanara. But I'm pretty sure that my abilities on the bow cannot compare with your talents with the mace and your sister's with Longclaw," Rhaenys felt like she was about to go red from all of the praise that was coming her way.

"Nonsense, Your Grace. I appreciate you being humble about your achievement, but you should take it in more stride. You've accomplished a big thing today," the youngest of the Mormont sisters said.

Rhaenys bobbed her head, accepting her advice. After besting Sijurn on the bow, the negotiations between them and the men and women of the Moon Brothers went more smoothly. Applying the strategy that they used so far, she promised Sijurn and the Moon Brothers their choice of land as well as receiving recompense from any Vale houses that have wronged them.

"I will also ensure that the practice of the old gods will spread through the lands that you'll reclaim and whatever lands that will surround yours," Rhaenys added. "You have much to gain by supporting our efforts against the houses that oppose us, and you can finally obtain retribution against the ones who stole your homes and made you live like savages."

"Many houses, those who were here before those Seven thumpers came and took what they saw, were wiped out. How would you bring back the numbers our people used to enjoy before we were so reduced?" Sijurn asked.

"That will take time, but I'm sure that you can help bring back the power of the First Men to the lowlands, given your people's determination in the face of difficulties," she stated.

"What about the Arryns, in their tall castle? How would you deal with them?"

"First, we have to break their strength. Then, we have to show them that the mountains will not protect them. After both have been achieved, then we will make our moves on the Arryns. But considering that the current king Ronnel is but a boy, I might not punish him as severely as his mother Sharra. I can't blame him, since he is probably too young to understand the affairs of those grown," Rhaenys explained.

Sijurn nodded, accepting her reasoning. "But I would suggest not letting your feelings influence how you go about things. I can see that you are about to be a mother."

Rhaenys rubbed her belly, which had grown considerably. "Yes. And I hope that my children will enjoy the fruits of the labor from myself and my family."

"Understandable, but don't let your maternal instincts make you soft on this boy Ronnel. You never know what children are capable of," Sijurn warned.

Rhaenys exhaled. "That's probably what you still don't understand. Dragons have feelings that cannot be bridled except by other dragons, but we are also protective of what we love. And one of the consequences of that is the ability to understand others without being unduly influenced by inconsequential matters, which extends to children. The difference between my family and the other lowland lords you fought is that we kill those who need to be killed and no more. And Ronnel Arryn has done nothing to use, as far as we're concerned, so I see no need to harm him."

"What about your actions against Black Harren?" Sijurn questioned her, bringing back memories to Rhaenys on how she and her siblings burned that castle and wiped out House Hoare except for Darvin. "Even amongst us clansmen, your actions against the ironborn are well known."

"You really think that the ironborn could be trusted, after what they do?" Rhaenys asked rhetorically. "But we're digressing. Once the Vale is ours, you and your people will be rewarded with lands and titles, a step towards the resurgence of the First Men in the Vale after Artys Arryn swathed through your ancestors' homes."

"And must we abide by the chains that come with being lowlanders?" Sijurn narrowed his eyes. "One of the few benefits of how we live is that we answer to no old men in castles because theirs fathers and their fathers before them were there."

"Those customs that you refer to don't have to be chains," Rhaenys responded. "After all, the ways of the First Men didn't place so much importance on lordships, but that is the way throughout the rest of the continent. And whether you wish to accept it or not, you won't be seen as nothing more than landless brutes if you have nothing to your name."

Sijurn took a moment to think about it, the thought of becoming a lowlander bothering him. "I might be inclined to accept your offer, but I'm not sure if the other clans will take it. After all, if we take your offer, they might not join you because we have blood feuds with others."

"Leave that to us," Rhaenys brushed his concern aside. "And I am sure Lord Snow will be able to work wonders with the other clans, given that you and he come from the First Men."

"Coming from the same people might not be enough, but it's a start," Sijurn then turned to leave. "I'll let my brother know of your offer and you'll be hearing from me soon."

"I look forward to it."

Going back to the present, Rhaenys took in the praise from the Mormont sisters and especially from the northmen who had accompanied, all of whom did not expect the youngest of House Targaryen to be so skilled with the bow and demonstrating an understanding for First Men culture.

"Just curious, Your Grace. How did you know how to make Sijurn talk to you without him throwing insults?" Bethany asked.

Rhaenys tapped her fingers on the table, trying to find the right words. "Well… I learned a lot by observing how you, your sister, Torrhen, Brandon, Jocelyn, and other northern houses interacted with one another. The words about how the north was ruled rang true, as all of you did not do things how we did in the south. As you might have expected, the south is operated by certain rules that speak of how those live. My father said that from his experience, the lords of Westeros are always seeking to undermine one another in the pursuit for more lands, more coin, more power. And they present friendly faces when they approach you, but they hide their true intentions until the last moment. Lying and sabotage are just among the many things that define how lords and kings interact with one another."

"The same can also be true in the north," Bethany said.

"But here's what I learned," Rhaenys continued. "And correct me if I'm wrong, but the ruggedness and cold of the north stripped away all of the unneeded pomp and concerns that the rest of Westeros have become so consumed by. The only concerns that occupy the northern houses are all centered on basic survival, because what comforts can be found in the north besides those around a hearth and under a roof? Whatever worries or struggles that the northern houses face, it's all rooted in making it through the cold and thus their means of ensuring their own survival are more earnest in my mind."

Bethany's and Lyanara's eyes widened, not expecting Rhaenys to be so observant.

"And what I've also noticed is that harshness doesn't allow for some people to see themselves as better than others, of which you two are good examples. The northern houses heed your council, and they heeded Jocelyn, which is more than what the houses in parts such as the riverlands and the Reach can say," she carried on. "While I will not shy away from dealing with lords who seek more than they have, it's refreshing to see when houses are not engaged in some quarrel over something trivial. And I also feel invigorated when disagreements can be ended quickly, instead of prolonged and thus causing more pain. I wish for those ways to return to Westeros. That's what I have to say."

Lyanara grinned. "You've just spoken how northmen would describe their home. And it shows how much you admire our traditions."

"What's not to admire? In the north, I saw women exercise real power, while the same couldn't be said. You could point to Lady Argella, who was only able to survive because of my brother Orys being rescued in time. And I hope for her sake, that will change."

Bethany nodded in agreement. "At the same time, it'll be hard to uproot the Faith from the lands that we'll have to subjugate and rule, as all of the traditions are centered from that religion. We might discredit the Starry Sept, but people will believe in it no matter what happens."

Rhaenys had to admit that was true. Many of the people in Westeros would not let go of their beliefs even if presented with other options, as people are generally afraid of change. "And that's why our first step is to show that we can fight our own struggles on our own strength, as while the dragons are our source of power, we cannot use it every time or they'll see it a weakness to exploit. Even the most powerful things in the world can be taken down if people are smart enough to observe any sources of disadvantage."

"Very true," Bethany replied. "And that's why we must show the Arryns, the Gardeners, and the Lannisters that their armies, their mountains, and their gold will not protect them, as we will show them how meaningless they are in the grander scheme of things."

"Agreed," Rhaenys concurred. "We should be ready to march when the Moon Brothers come with their response. Once they accept our offer, we'll being moving into the mountains."

"Yes, Your Grace," Bethany and Lyanara dipped their heads as they left the tent. As for Brandon, who was merely listening to the discussion between the women, he let his presence be known again."

"I hope you remember about my suggestion in approaching the First Men houses of the Vale, since they might not have the best relationship with the Arryns given how they were thrown from power thousands of years ago," Brandon started.

"I do. Once we cross the mountains and onto the river where Strongsong is located on, I will send word to the Belmores, but only after we surrounded their castle and cut off any chance of retreat or reinforcement," Rhaenys responded. "While we move to strike the Eyrie from the north, we must also move to secure Heart's Home, home of the Corbrays. If we don't, we'll be forced to contend the enemy from two directions."

"And that'll probably be our first real battle, but one I don't expect to exert much effort on considering that the Corbrays are not exactly powerful despite possessing a Valyrian steel sword," Brandon added.

Rhaenys only knew just a little bit on the sword that was reputed to have killed Robar Royce. But them having a Valyrian steel sword despite being a poor house indicated to her that they at least had a legacy to be proud of. _They might be useful, given the right direction and under the right rulership._

"How is your babe holding up?" Brandon changed topics.

"Oh, he or she is doing fine," Rhaenys rubbed her belly lovingly. "But honestly, I can't wait when I get to hold it in my arms."

"But will it be a hindrance to the campaign ahead? I wouldn't want you to have your water broken while you come down and save the day on the back of Meraxes," Brandon lightly jested.

"Oh, stop it, Brandon," she chuckled. "But given that Egg fathered this babe, he or she will be eager for battle and thus wouldn't mind being born in combat."

"I really do hope that it's a boy, for I've just heard that Jocelyn is with child again," Brandon scratched Autumn's head while Rhaenys was struck.

"Really?"

"Yes. I've just got word from Dragonstone. She is expecting and I hope that the child is a girl, for there are already three boys to carry on the Stark name," Brandon revealed.

"I should," Rhaenys walked over to a piece of parchment and quill. "Send my congratulations to her. The gods have blessed with strong children already, so let's pray that this child will be healthy also."

"I'm sure she'll appreciate the gesture," Brandon smiled in appreciation.

"And so, our Pact has been taken one step closer."

"It shall be. As I said, I hope that your child is a boy and Jocelyn's new one is a girl."

"Can't you see what the children will be with your sight?"

"The gods have been vague with me on the details, but maybe because they don't want to keep our hopes up. They can be cruel that way, when our hopes reach feverish heights," Brandon shrugged.

"That's reassuring," Rhaenys said dryly as she finished writing on the parchment.

"With the children on the way, we now have more reason to fight. It'll be this land that they'll inherit, so we have to make it as peaceful as possible."

"No truer words have been spoken. Which reminds me. Have you found a lady yet?"

"Not yet."

"If you want, I can ask around and see which houses are willing to give you a woman to marry," Rhaenys offered. "Even though you are not legitimized and given your abilities, I'm sure that the brother of Torrhen Stark will be an attractive option."

"You don't have to do that, but thank you," Brandon responded thankfully. "My time will come."

Rhaenys rolled up the parchment. "Well, I hope it won't be long." But before she could call a messenger, she felt a pang in her belly. "Oooh…"

"The baby kicking again?"

"He or she is strong, like Aegon," Rhaenys gently touched her womb.

"And you. The babe will be good hands, with an able father and mother in its life."

"Thank you, Brandon," she hugged him, startling him even as she withdrew.

"What was that for?"

"We're friends. I thought it'll only be natural we share a hug."

"I'm glad you see us that way," Brandon managed while still surprised as he left the tent with Autumn.

"Gods, he's funny," Rhaenys giggled to herself. "Might have to hug him more if that will not make him look less withdrawn, just like with Jae."

A week later, Sijurn came back and told him that his brother accepted their offer. Departing from the Green Fork, the fifteen thousand force of northmen and rivermen began the push into the mountains and towards the river where Strongsong was at. Meanwhile, Rhaenys flew above the army on Meraxes. _Let's not take long here, for Egg, Jae, Vis, and Orys need us back soon._

**A/N: Rhaenys is really coming into her own here, as she showed an understanding of how the First Men do things and revealing her deep appreciation. She got the respects of the first Vale mountain clan she came across, while gaining more from the northmen who had accompanied her. ****She's not the soft woman that many see her as, which would only make her surprising those who underestimate her all the more enjoyable. **

**Next, we see how things are going in the Reach. **


	46. Mern I

**A/N: Hope you all are staying well and healthy. Much to worry about, but much more can be gained by focusing on the positives :D **

**This chapter will introduce new characters while we explore one of the key figures of the Conquest, whose death was necessary. But mark my words, the Reach will not be the same in this story. **

MERN I

Mern Gardener rode his horse as he used practice lances against the training marks. He was not dressed in his full armor, so he had an easier time moving around training under the heat of the Reach summer. He broke his lance on the target and got more cheers from the spectators, his twentieth lance broken.

Contrary to what many expected, jousting was not a sport for the light-hearted, as it took balance and a certain fearlessness to continue holding the lance against an opponent who was just as determined in unhorsing the rider, and it took strength in the legs to remain seated in the horse and in the arms to keep the lance steady. Mern had prided himself in winning over ten tourneys in his lifetime, six of them before he inherited the throne in Highgarden. As such, he had much strength to boast about.

But he had to cut back on his involvement in tourneys at the advice of his maester and septon, since he was the king and had to remain in good health for as long as he could. And he understood their other reasoning, as his heir Edmund was not yet prepared to take the reins of power and thus needed more time under his tutelage.

He charged his horse again and broke his twenty-first lance before deciding that he had enough for the day. With his squires giving him his bucket of water and unbuckling his armor, he wiped the sweat off of his brow.

"Your Grace," he turned to see his captain of the guard, Ser Rycherd Roxton. The second of Lord Roxton, he was accorded the honor of wielding his family's heirloom, the Valyrian steel sword Orphan-Maker. "The one chosen to protect his king should use the best weapon available," were Lord Roxton's words as he witnessed his son's knighting ceremony and appointment to his post.

"Ser Rycherd," Mern greeted him.

"Your Grace, I trust that you have concluded your daily training for the day?" Ser Rycherd asked.

"Yes, I have," Mern handed the rag to his squire. "Anything you wish to bring to my attention?"

"Lord Addam Hightower has arrived, Your Grace. He is currently awaiting in the courtyard as we speak."

_Right. _"Keep Lord Addam occupied while I go change into cleaner garments and ready my solar. Give him Arbor gold and some bread before you call him."

"Yes, Your Grace," Ser Rycherd bowed as Mern went to change.

Washing his face and with the servants dressing in fresher attire, he then had the crown of iron thorns placed on his hand, as he was a king during war. Confident in how he looked, he moved to the solar, where he had another servant arrange the many parchments on his desk as he sat down and waited for the heir to Oldtown.

Finally, Ser Rycherd came into the solar and brought in Lord Addam. "Your Grace, Lord Addam of House Hightower."

"Thank you, Ser Rycherd," Mern dismissed him as he stood up from his chair and walked over to welcome Lord Addam.

The last time that Mern Gardener looked upon the man who would inherit Oldtown was over five years ago, but his father Lord Manfred had many good things to say about his son. From his well-kept brown hair and his sharp blue eyes, along with his thin frame covered by choice garments from Myr if he had to guess, he dressed as a man from House Hightower would.

"Your Grace," Addam Hightower dipped his head.

"Good to see you again, Lord Addam. I trust Lord Manfred is well?" Mern shook his hand.

"He is, Your Grace. He toils every day overseeing the trade goods and merchants that come to our fair city while keeping the faithful content in the midst of this war."

"I'm sure he is," Mern gestured for Lord Addam to sit across him.

"And he apologizes for the late response, but he wishes to send his condolences on the death of Prince Gawen," Lord Addam stated.

Mern sighed, not wanting to think upon his son's death as he used his jousting and his other duties to keep his mind away from such sorrowful thoughts. "I thank your family for your words, but couldn't they have been sent by raven? That would have been sufficient."

"I have business to attend to, Your Grace. Business that I must undertake here on behalf of my family."

"Oh? And what do you wish to discuss with me?"

Lord Addam cleared his throat as he relaxed in his chair. "Your Grace, my father Lord Manfred has some concerns about how this war is going about."

Mern leaned forward on the table. "And what concerns would they be?"

"Given that the forces of this kingdom and that of House Lannister outnumber the forces commanded by the dragons, everyone involved expected a quick victory and a clear demonstration of how the Valyrians are not welcome in this land," Lord Addam started with.

"And we are still fighting. There will be more battles ahead, Lord Addam, despite the setbacks we have faced," Mern answered.

"Those setbacks are the reason that I have come here, Your Grace," the heir to Oldtown stated. "We both know that the reason why the His Holiness appointed you a Marshal of the Faith was because Loren Lannister has seen his forces rolled back in the riverlands and therefore wants a more pious man to have more control over the war effort."

"I know that, Lord Addam."

"And yet, Your Grace, there has not enough significant progress against the dragons. A good indication of that is this Aegon Targaryen declaring himself King of Westeros, followed by his sister-wife Rhaenys, his sister Visenya, and his goodbrother Jaenys Belaerys," Lord Addam brought up the dragons' declaration.

Mern remembered the declaration very well, but he fought the urge to simply through it in his hearth because of how ridiculous it sounded. _A man barely grown, and he fashions himself a king? With his fervent goodbrother by his side? Ridiculous._

"Not only that, the Starks of Winterfell have declared their allegiance to the dragons and thus bringing the northern half of Westeros on their side. His Holiness is concerned, as he fears the days of the old gods and the barbaric practices of the First Men coming back to these lands, after all of the struggles that our ancestors have experienced to bring something better," Addam added.

That was what continued to baffle Mern. He only heard about the reputation of King Torrhen Stark, now no longer a king, and he couldn't understand why a king would give up his crown to support a family who had no history of being rulers. _If I remember correctly, the Targaryens were far from powerful in the days of old Valyria while the Belaerys' might have been at the top, but they too were not kings themselves._

Mern knew that something else was going on, but for the life of him, he couldn't wrap his mind around such an exceptional incident as a king kneeling before a simple lord willingly. _The dragons burned the Hoares except for Darvin, and they killed Argilac while taking his daughter, but Torrhen just lent his support. Why?_

"As I spoke to His Holiness and to Loren Lannister, the dragons are a threat that have to be dealt with soon, especially with the northmen on their side," Mern spoke.

"Then, may I ask Your Grace on why there hasn't there been any meaningful progress against them so far? Word has it that they are on the move against Sharra Arryn and the Vale houses, who are also among the faithful. Your Grace, we cannot just sit idly by while they begin to take one of the most important regions in Westeros that have a majority following the Seven."

"Careful how you speak, Lord Addam. I like you and I have nothing but good feelings towards you and House Hightower, but don't forget that I am the King of the Reach and it is bad manners to make questions on strategy even in private settings," Mern warned him.

Addam swallowed before nodding. "I apologize for any offense against you, Your Grace."

"I accept. But to answer your question, we have forces still tied up in the former Storm kingdom and Orys Baratheon smashed our reserves. It'll take a while for us to form another force that can reinforce my son Prince Edmund and reinforce our allies elsewhere."

"A bastard killing a prince of House Gardener… Prince Gawen shall be avenged, Your Grace. He was a fine knight and a good horseman."

"Thank you, Lord Addam."

"But going to my business, the reason why I ask on what is being done against the dragons because my family loaned you a significant amount of gold when you needed more to finance the campaign against the dragons and was able to persuade His Holiness to make a contribution from the Starry Sept's coffers, which combined with the gold contributed by House Lannister and the loans from the Iron Bank is what allows the army to remain in the field."

"And what is your point in mentioning things that I already am aware of?" Mern knew what Lord Addam was getting at, but he wanted to hear it straight from his lips.

"House Hightower has played an instrumental role in underwriting this war, Your Grace. And the only gains that we can see are lands east of the Slayne and nothing more. From what I am told, Argella Durrandon had the lords slight their own castles, take all of the livestock and crops that they could, and burning the rest, which doesn't make those lands any useful to us anyways. In addition, Loren's scheme in having Orys annulling his marriage to Argella Durrandon in favor of Prince Edmund did not go well, which implies that the two of them have some bond that cannot be broken," Addam continued on.

"So, you're here to protect your house's investments?" Mern figured out.

"Yes."

"And what will you do if there is no progress made on our part soon?"

"We certainly don't want our king to lose all of the confidence that he had worked very hard to obtain from the Starry Sept, as Reachmen are fighting and dying on behalf of the Holy Seven," Lord Addam stated.

_Oh, now I see what this is. _"You do realize that it is unwise to say such things, especially during times of war, as we need to be united against the common enemy."

"If you need more coin, Your Grace, you can send a raven to Oldtown and my house will happily grant you what you need, as you are our king. But please considerate on the needs of your bannermen, as we all wish to return to our homes and resume worshipping the Seven as we have done before," Addam expressed.

Mern sighed. "Of course, Lord Addam. We don't need more coin from you, but you tell your father that I appreciate the gesture and that we understand each other more clearly."

"I shall, Your Grace," Addam nodded in satisfaction. "But to keep him satisfied, I have to tell him what you plan to do next. He might not do something we both don't wish to happen if he's allowed an insight."

Mern rubbed his chin in thought before bobbing his head. "One thing that I will say to you, Lord Addam, is that we intend to strike hard at the bastard in Storm's End while moving on the Blackwater Bay as my late son did. And this time, we'll be more careful how we proceed forward."

Lord Addam pursed his lips, absorbing what his king revealed. "I shall tell my father, Your Grace."

"You do that. Meanwhile, I invite you to stay here at Highgarden for a few days and nights, where you will be comfortably accommodated."

"I graciously accept your offer, Your Grace."

"Good. Go outside and Ser Rycherd will bring you to your quarters. If you have anything else to discuss with me, let me know."

"Of course, Your Grace," and Lord Addam left with the Gardeners' captain of the guard.

But Mern's amiable demeanor evaporated as he leaned back on his chair and rubbed his forehead, trying to stave off the headache that came.

The Hightowers had always been an over-mighty house, especially since they saw themselves as equals to the Gardeners despite having surrendered their crowns. And part of the reason why that was originated from his ancestor offering his daughter in marriage to the King of the Hightower, meaning that no fighting actually began between them and no one saw who was better. _Either bring them into the kingdom peacefully, or face bloodshed showing who's above who._

But setting those thoughts aside, Mern straightened his garments out and made his way to the sept, where he was sure his wife and queen, alongside his other sons, grandsons, nephews, and cousin were there.

With the guards bowing their heads as he passed by, Mern entered the sept but was careful to be as quiet as he could. He found his queen and wife, Victaria, kneeling in prayer while dressed in black, along with their younger sons Hugh and John. Hugh was six and ten while John was five and ten, and both were still unmarried. _Might have to work on that soon. _

Next to his youngest sons was his brother, Lymond, and his two sons, Owen and Raymun, who had just come from their estate further north of Highgarden. Next to them was Mern's cousin, Gyles, who was employed in the household since he was far down the line of succession and thus had few prospects.

But on the other side of Victaria was his only daughter, Vevienne, also dressed in black. All had knelt in prayer for the soul of Gawen, who had departed this life without fathering any heirs but died as a warrior would. _May the Warrior guide him to good place in the afterlife, wherever that may be, _Mern prayed silently.

Out of respect for his wife and queen and out of remembrance for their dear departed son, Mern also knelt down and clasped his hands together in prayer.

"Where have you been, Your Grace?" Victaria asked him.

"I just came from a meeting with Addam Hightower. We had much to discuss regarding the war effort against the dragons."

"I see… matters of the kingdom shall always take precedence over the matters in your own family," Victaria stated.

"Now, watch your words, women," Mern was cross. "I mourn Gawen every day since he died, but I am King of the Reach. I must run this kingdom, which is our family's birthright and one that Gawen died for."

"I don't have to tell you that I had reservations about you waging war against people who did nothing towards us," Victaria shot back.

"Quiet!" Mern shushed softly. "It was for our family that I waged war."

"A war that took one of my sons away and my oldest away from home," Victaria kept her eyes closed. "I am angry at the man who killed him, but you got our family into a war that we had no business being a part of."

"Do you not follow the Faith, Victaria?"

"Does the Faith want all houses to go to war, where sons perish?" Victaria's hands were getting into a tighter clasp.

"We have to stop the Valyrians from spreading their ways to these lands, or everything we know will be over," Mern defended himself. "I'm exerting myself for my family as best as I can. You know that."

"I do, Your Grace," Victaria finally opened her eyes. "But I also know that I will never hold Gawen in my arms again, never hear his voice again, and never see his face again. He came from my womb, and I didn't even get to bury him. Mothers should never bury their child."

Mern sighed heavily, understanding her sentiments. "My heart was torn out when Gawen died. But now, we have to keep going if we are to ensure that he didn't die for nothing. And now, I must make sure that someone will be able to take his place."

"What do you mean?"

Mern turned to Hugh and John. "Boys, I have a present for you. Follow me outside."

Hugh and John looked at each other, confused, before complying with his father's commands. Victaria, Vevienne, Lymond, Owen, Raymun, and Gyles also followed.

Outside of the sept, Mern gestured for his sword to be brought to him. Unsheathing it, he held it high.

"Kneel, Hugh," Mern pointed to the ground in front of his third-eldest son, which he did. "In the name of the Warrior, I charge you to be brave. In the name of the Father, I charge you to be just. In the name of the Mother, I charge you to defend the innocent. Arise, Hugh of House Gardener, a knight of the Reach."

Hugh was stunned by being knighted by his own father. "Thank you, Your Grace."

Mern smiled before turning to John and bidding him to kneel down. "In the name of the Warrior, I charge you to be brave. In the name of the Father, I charge you to be just. In the name of the Mother, I charge you to defend the innocent. Arise, John of House Gardener, a knight of the Reach."

"Thank you, Your Grace," John also formally addressed their father.

While Lymond, Owen, Raymun, and Gyles nodded their heads in approval, Victaria looked as if she saw more death, as her face became paler. Her eyes were saying to Mern, "You've just killed my sons," as knighthood means that they will soon see battle.

But he ignored her as he issued his next commands to Hugh and John. "Starting tomorrow, I want you to train with arms with me and practicing your riding more vigorously. You are men now, so you must join the war with me."

"Yes, Your Grace," they both answered solemnly.

As for Victaria, she couldn't bear to see what was happening and went to return to her quarters. As for Vevienne, she turned in to the opposite direction towards the godswood, where she found comfort amongst the three weirwoods reputedly painted by Garth Greenhand himself.

But while Mern would tolerate the occasional visit to the godswood, she was a princess of the Reach, so she needed to be in the sept more than the worshipping area of the First Men. She even asked the maester more books on what the First Men did and how they worshipped, which Mern confronted her over.

"We do come from Garth Greenhand, father," Vevienne said. "Shouldn't we know some part of our history before the Andals came?"

"History is good as a side interest, but it's useless for when you have to learn how to fulfill your obligations. And I've heard that you spent three hours in the godswood for each one hour you spend in the sept. That's not good. You need to show the septon that you are dutiful and pious, for who in the Reach will marry you if you don't?"

"It was just an intellectual curiosity, father. Is there anything wrong with that?"

"As a matter of fact, yes. You are old enough to be married and there will be lords seeking your hand soon. You must be in a good mind and in a good form if you want a satisfying union. Keep that in mind the next you go asking around for knowledge of the times before the Faith came to this kingdom, for it will reflect badly on us. Do you understand?"

Vevienne sighed. "Yes, father."

But knowing his own daughter, who didn't listen to commands very well since she was a babe, he had the maester try to restrict her access to any books about the Gardeners' First Men heritage. Also, he had the septon take part in her tutelage, since he was not going to let his daughter lose her sense of piety to the Seven.

Recognizing that Victaria needed to be alone since it would take time for her to accept that the rest of her sons would have to go to war, Mern turned to his sons. "Wait for me in the training yard. Once I finish my other duties for the day, I will see to the both of you."

"Yes, father," they both said.

He nodded to his brother Lymond, his nephews Owen and Raymun, and his cousin Gyles, granting them leave for the rest of the day, as he left for another part of Highgarden, this being where his steward attended his own duties. _But considering what I must do for today, I have to be there._

He walked into the solar of Harlan Tyrell, High Steward of Highgarden and head of his house. The steward stood up and dipped his head. "Your Grace."

"Lord Tyrell, how goes your duties for today?"

"I've been occupied, Your Grace," Lord Harlan sifted through the pieces of parchment on his desk, which outnumbered those on Mern's own. "Given the responses to the decree sent out to the various lordships, villages, and towns under your rule, I had to find a way to keep the people more committed to the fight against the dragons."

"I see," Mern nodded.

He had commissioned Lord Harlan to write a declaration, in which they would smear the name of the Targaryens and Jaenyx Belaerys so that the smallfolk would be more motivated in fighting against the Valyrians. Lord Tyrell suggested that they directly attack the dragons through their marriages based on what the former maester at Dragonstone told them. With their knowledge of Aegon acting as a warrior, Jaenyx's cold demeanor, Visenya being said to be stern, and Rhaenys just like every other maiden in Westeros, they decided to take some liberties and present them in the most unflattering light possible.

Remembering that Jaenyx, from what they heard, had a very low opinion of those not carrying Valyrian blood in general, it wasn't hard for Mern and Harlan to come up with the idea that he would take more pleasure in the arms of Lysene whores, who had the blood of old Valyria in them, and neglect Visenya, who wasn't very outwardly friendly and seemed to strike down those who would try to make act more like a lady. _Warrior women… how typical_, the King of the Reach dismissed.

Regarding Aegon and given how close his bond with Jaenyx had become, Mern and Harlan decided that the latter's more prejudiced tendencies rubbed off on him and that it wouldn't be much of a stretch to see the one who called himself king going after Rhaenys because she was an easy woman. _What knight or warrior wouldn't do so, based on what I heard of this "Queen" Rhaenys?_

"What else are you planning to distribute, Lord Harlan?"

"I'm thinking of saying more words on the parent dragons and the bastard in Storm's End," Harlan revealed. "We could say that the father seeks power, but he is too old to lay claim as a king, so he wants to accomplish his dreams through his son. And the mother is all too willing to go along, since she wants to be a queen."

Mern rubbed his chin in thought before nodding. "I like that." _Whether it's true or not doesn't matter, so long as other people believe it._

"And that the bastard in Storm's End killed Argilac because of the slights thrown his way and saw his daughter the former princess Argella Durrandon as the ultimate prize. After all, conquering a castle gives you claim to everything in it, including its women," Harlan said.

"True," Mern admitted. "How soon can you get this published?"

"Give me three days, Your Grace, and I shall have enough copies to send to all of the houses under your control, where the words can be further spread by the other lords," Harlan put up his seal. "But regarding the future decrees, I'm afraid I must ask for your personal seal."

"My seal?" _That, I did not expect._

"It would grant my words more legitimacy if Your Grace endorsed them. After all, I am but a mere servant at Highgarden and my words won't account for very much unless backed by a higher power," Harlan explained.

"Now I understand," Mern looked at the first drafts of the new decrees. "Finish the copies, and I'll give you my seal. You can stamp however many times you want."

"Thank you, Your Grace," Harlan smiled.

"Anything else that should be brought to my attention, Lord Harlan?"

Harlan set down his quill and stood up straighter. "My son, Theo."

"Yes?"

"I know that my position is hereditary, and he will be the new High Steward of Highgarden after I die," Harlan began. "But before my son settles down, he must do what he can with his youth, which might be serving in the field or conducting affairs outside of the walls. I ask Your Grace if there is anything else besides my current duties that Theo can serve in."

Mern looked at the aging steward up and down, taking in his rich robes, graying beard and hair, and slightly hunched back gained from many years of leaning over the table because of writing. It was true that Harlan Tyrell's position was hereditary, since the second son of Ser Alester Tyrell had done so well in his duties that his ancestor made his position permanent for his family. And they were distantly related by blood, as a princess of House Gardener did marry a lord of House Tyrell centuries before. Ser Alester Tyrell was a great warrior and a worthy Andal, who might have established a strong martial house had his eldest son died. While being a steward did have its benefits, it was not exactly prestigious.

"You've done my house great service, Lord Harlan. The least I can do is see what else you and your son can do, for all that you've done for me and my family," Mern granted his request.

"Thank you, Your Grace," Harlan dipped his head in gratitude. "And if I might ask for one more thing?"

"What is it?" _What do you want now?_

"I understand that you are currently looking for eligible bachelors to grant Princess Vevienne's hand in marriage. If it pleases you, might I request that Theo be included in the list? I'm not asking for your daughter's hand, as that would be imprudent of me, but just a chance for Theo to be considered," Harlan asked for.

Mern sighed. _Of course. _Again, they were distantly related since they both had Gardener blood, but since he came from the senior line while Harlan came from a very far-off lineage, a match between Theo and Vevienne was unthinkable to the lords in the kingdom. At the same time, he couldn't just deny Harlan.

"Theo shall be considered," Mern decided not to kill Harlan's hopes. "But don't expect anything."

"Thank you, Your Grace. That's all I ask," Harlan grinned.

"I'll leave you to your work, then," Mern verbalized before he left Lord Tyrell's solar.

Mern twiddled with his thumbs as he thought more on what Harlan asked him to do. He wasn't going to deny that Theo was an agreeable man, coming from good stock and raised by his able father to take over the duties as High Steward. He also witnessed how Theo and Vevienne were close from an early age, both of them sharing an interest in how Westeros was before the First Men were largely overpowered by the Andals. He didn't like how his daughter was taking an interest in such information, but he wasn't going to hinder his daughter's curiosity. _Curiosity leads to a development in intelligence, which will be an attractive trait to any of her husbands._

But like he thought earlier, the idea of a union between Theo and Vevienne, no matter how much he liked him and how much appreciation he had for providing Vevienne a companion, was unfathomable in Mern's mind. After all, the Tyrells were stewards and thus unfitting for a princess of House Gardener. _If I agreed to it, then Houses Hightower, Tarly, Peake, Rowan, Florent, and Redwyne will never let me hear the end of it._

Marriages were matters of great importance to the kingdom and thus, Mern had to carefully consider who might offer a good husband for Vevienne. _Certainly not House Hightower. They already have a few drops of Gardener blood in them and they might use Vevienne to press for more things from me. The marcher houses might be good, but who can I choose at the expense of the other? And while it's been a long time since a house in the northern parts of my kingdom saw a marriage with a Gardener princess, none of the houses have any bachelors that will be suitable for her. So, who else?_

He found himself walking to the ramparts of Highgarden, looking upon the various fields that were outside the briar labyrinth. He found more peace looing upon the fields that his ancestors planted, the source of their wealth and power, which made him believe that the source of all authority for men, save for the Seven, came from the earth. The earliest men developed farming, and thus they built communities before deciding who would lead. It only progressed upward from there, with kings soon rising up. House Gardener just happened to be one family that overcame all of the other kings to rule the biggest kingdom on the continent.

But the beauty of the Reach, so painfully molded by the ones before him, was now under threat by foreigners, which came from the people that could control dragons. Thousands of years of tradition would be undone if he failed now. _The dragons shall never take this land. We will win, or we will perish before we surrender, _Mern promised to himself. _A Gardener has not knelt before and we will not kneel now, especially to a man barely grown whose power only lies in abominations._

"Your Grace," Ser Rycherd approached him again and dipped his head.

"What is it, Ser Rycherd?"

"A raven was sent from Lord Appleton, Your Grace," he held out a small scroll.

"Josua?" Mern immediately took the scroll. He had known Josua Appleton, Lord of Appleton, since they were squires and they attended each other's weddings. The latter was extremely grateful, as having the king come to his wedding added much prestige to his house, which Mern was more than ready to do via land grants and tax privileges.

Unrolling the scroll, he read the message at least twice, not wanting to see if his eyes were deceiving him.

"May I ask what concerns you so, Your Grace?" Ser Rycherd became concerned.

"How many can we get right now?"

"For what purpose, Your Grace?"

"I must ride to Appleton today. How many men can come?"

Ser Roxton took a moment to gather the numbers in his head. "Twenty men."

"That's sufficient. Tell them to be ready to ride out as soon as possible. I have to see Lord Josua."

"As you command, Your Grace."

Within an hour, Mern set out with Ser Rycherd Roxton and twenty men sworn to House Gardener as they rode to Appleton, in the middle of the land between the Mander and the river where Goldengrove was located on. It took less than a day for the King of the Reach to arrive at Appleton, where the guards of the rather small castle were caught off guard.

Mern strode into the castle, where Lord Josua Appleton, his family, and what members of his household that could be ready on such short notice, were waiting for him in the courtyard. Upon his entrance, they knelt.

"Rise, my friend," Mern bid Lord Josua to stand before pulling into a strong hug. "I trust you're not getting bored while the rest of us fight the war."

"There's nothing wrong with a little quiet, Your Grace," Josua Appleton shrugged.

His old friend had looked the same since they saw each other last year, his green eyes still retaining the energy from his youth but with his black hair now peppered with a few white ones.

"I'm sure. But I'm afraid that we'll all have to sacrifice our moments of tranquility soon, if we are to keep what we have," Mern walked with Lord Appleton. "I received your message, old friend. I didn't expect a northman to be this far south."

"It was probably a scout, House Karstark judging from the sun blazoned on his breastplate," Lord Appleton said. "Men belonging to Cider Hall engaged a party of northern cavalry and drove them off, capturing one of them. But the presence of the northmen this far is very disconcerting.

"Indeed," Mern agreed. "I want to talk to him."

"Your Grace—"

"Come now. We've known each other for years."

Lord Appleton cleared his throat as he corrected himself. "Mern, I don't think that's a good idea. Let my men handle him and we'll give you whatever information we can out of him."

"I want to see the enemy that we're dealing with. In tourneys, we stare at our foes in the face, so that we have a better idea on how to fight them. Don't you remember?"

Lord Appleton sighed before nodding. "It's your decision in the end, Mern."

"Take me to him."

Mern followed Lord Appleton in the dungeons of the castle. Walking past a few empty cells, since there were hardly any criminals so close to Highgarden, they finally came upon the one that held the Karstark prisoner, who was tied and chained to the wall.

After Appleton ordered the guard to open the door, Mern stepped in and eyed the northman in the face. He had the grey eyes and dark hair as was customary of the First Men.

"What is your name?" Mern asked politely.

"Who are you?" the Karstark man snipped.

"You are speaking to Mern Gardener, Ninth of His Name, Lord of Highgarden and King of the Reach. Show some respect, you wretch!" Lord Appleton barked.

"I don't know any other king but the one my lord and Torrhen Stark sworn to, Aegon Targaryen, and I didn't know that flowers could become kings," the Karstark man held no bars back.

Mern crossed his arms. "So, because my home is full of flowers, that makes me weak? Is that what you're saying?"

"Aren't you summer knights like that? You only know warm and comfort, while we northmen survived in the cold and brutal winter. You will break at the first sign of real battle, as all flowers do," the Karstark stated spitefully.

Mern scoffed. "I would not trade a feather bed for a stone couch, and neither would you if you were in my position."

"I'd rather not be, Your Grace. After all, I wonder what your ancestor might say if he saw you now."

"All right. What is this?" Mern was getting tired. "Did you get captured because you wanted to throw insults at me?"

"You give me too much credit. I didn't know you would come, but how often does one get a chance to see a soft-bellied king in the face?"

_Soft-bellied? He's really pushing it. _"You seem to talk comparatively well, considering that you're just a horseman sworn to House Karstark, who are themselves Starks from a pathetic off-shoot."

"Whatever mistakes my house has done, I endured them, while you flowers would rip apart like warm bread," the Karstark man spat back. "Besides, you can't kill me, not without angering my cousin Larence Karstark."

That information threw off Mern. "What do you mean?"

"Means that my name is Hallis Karstark and I grew up in Karhold, so I know much about the history of the First Men, my people, which unfortunately extends to the sad history in the south."

"Sad history?" Lord Appleton narrowed his eyes. "What makes you say that?"

"I have no doubt that Garth Greenhand was a great man, who established a great kingdom. But you lot threw it all away when the Seven thumpers came. You became knights, wiped out the First Men and the children, and made generations forget where they came from. I'm sure that Garth Greenhand would moan upon seeing what you've become," he eyed to Mern.

Mern's fists tightened, angered at how many insults Hallis Karstark was throwing at him and his family. But remembering his training as a knight regarding his control over his hot temper, he uncurled his fist and breathed out to calm himself.

"I knew it," Hallis Karstark sneered. "You can't hit me, because you're not enough of a man. I guess being among flowers and staying warm in summer will do that to you."

Before Mern really lost his temper, he left the cell, with Lord Appleton following and Hallis continuing to throw abuses at the two.

Once they were out of earshot, Mern turned to his old friend. "He is a lord after all, so have him moved to better accommodations and get someone to clean him."

"You sure you want to do that, after what he said to you?"

"This is a test that all of us faced when we were squires. We either give in to our baser instincts, or we stick to laws that we were told to upheld, no matter how painful it might seem," Mern proclaimed.

"As you wish," Lord Appleton walked with Mern out of the dungeons while another guard ran up to him.

"Your Grace," he dipped his head at Mern. "We've just received word. Stonebridge has sighted the enemy and they're about to come under attack!"

Mern and Lord Appleton eyed each other in alarm. "Send ravens to all houses that can spare troops!" he commanded before turning back to his friend. "I must ride back to Highgarden, where I must get my other sons and my armor. Once I have the men, meet with what troops you can at Cider Hall. We must protect the Mander."

"Of course," but before Mern could ride back to his own castle, Lord Appleton called out, "I am sorry about Gawen, Mern. He was a good boy and I shall miss him."

Mern's eyes darkened briefly before he refocused them. "Thank you. I miss him already."

By nightfall, Mern, Ser Rycherd, and his entourage of twenty men returned to Highgarden, where the rest of the night was spent making the preparations to march.

**A/N: As I mentioned before, I envisioned Benedict Cumberbatch to play Mern IX Gardener, who is the perfect actor for any character that is upper class, arrogant, and condescending. As one reviewer noted, he is a tourney knight-turned king who likes the simple pleasures of life, but he is also pious and a stickler to the rules of chivalry. I see Mern as the equivalent of Napoleon III and a less academically-inclined Rudolf II (for those who know your history), a man who is so sure of his own position that he treats everything light-heartedly and believes in a strict code even if the situation recommends otherwise. Plus, House Gardener has become so removed from their original routes that it could be said that they were on the decline anyway (which I told through Mern's dealings with the Hightowers amongst others). And he is also quite unwise, as he knighted his two youngest sons because he wants to fill the gap left behind by Gawen, which will never go well. **

**As for Harlan Tyrell, he might be an obedient servant, but given what he did in canon regarding the Field of Fire, he has something else at play and whatever uses he has for Mern's seal can't be good.**

**Pay attention to Theo and Vevienne, for they will be important. **

**Hope this was a good real intro into the politics and occurrences of the Reach. **

**Next, we see the the first real battle in the Reach, at Stonebridge.**


	47. Jaenyx IX

**A/N: Hope you all are staying safe in these uncertain times. Also, quick update. Things will be busy ahead as I prepare for jobs and all that, and I will try my best to update regularly. But please bear with me if I don't seem consistent in my postings.**

**Without ado, enjoy!**

JAENYX IX

Jaenyx went over the plans with Konno once more, as they needed to get every detail right before their next move. Like on the Red Fork, the men of newly raised House Haru would be at the forefront of their tactical design, as everything hinged on them maintaining concealment and allowing the rest of the army to achieve surprise.

It was an acknowledged fact that the taking of Stonebridge would be of vital importance to the dragons, as control of that bridge that the army could advance southwards on both banks of the Mander. More importantly, the army would be in a good position to strike at Longtable, seat of House Merryweather which was placed at the confluence between the Mander and the Blueburn. Control of both Stonebridge and Longtable equaled control over a good portion of the entire northern Reach, thus securing their advance.

Unfortunately, their plans were forced to speed up. With the capture of Hallis Karstark by the Fossoway men of Cider Hall, it wouldn't be long before the Gardeners figured out what they were trying to do. In fact, both Aegon and Jaenyx expected Mern Gardener to call whatever forces he could muster and reinforce Cider Hall, the only major fortification before Highgarden itself. The loss of that castle would have been unacceptable to the Gardeners, meaning that they would reinforce it and enjoy a strong defensive advantage.

While Torrhen assured Larence Karstark that they would try to get his cousin back, the dragons and the northmen all concurred that they needed to advance and secure Stonebridge earlier than expected.

"The enemy will expect us to strike at the bridge itself. I doubt that they'll leave such an important landmark so unguarded," Ethan Reed pointed on the map.

"We do have a few advantages going for us," Joseth Glover placed his finger on the various parts of the land surrounding Stonebridge. "The land is flat around the small castle and we can encircle them easily with light footmen and cavalry."

"But advancing between the banks of the Mander will be quite difficult, especially since the parts of the river in this area are pretty muddy and rough," Warrick Manderly added, his anxiousness evident from being at the river where his family assumed their name from. "We can't use boats to cross and it's too deep for horses to move through."

"Not to mention that any arms and armor our men will carry will weigh them down," Rogar Bolton contributed his piece. "This will take some deception on our part, just like at Fairmarket," he eyed to Jaenyx and Konno, the latter being present for his first session in the command tent.

"Well, Lord Bolton, the obvious way to achieve surprise is by attacking at night, but I am expecting that the enemy will have adapted thanks to the Red Fork," Jaenyx replied. "Alternatively, we can attack in the early hours of dawn while we can fight under the young rays of the sun, but the enemy will still be asleep just like at the Red Fork."

"It won't be like the Smith's Day, Your Grace. They probably won't be as drunk as Ser Serrett's forces were," Ethan Reed warned him.

"Maybe, but this is the Reach we're talking about. Whatever moral limitations our enemies in the riverlands were confined to would be multiplied in this place, especially since they would expect us to fight in a 'polite fashion,'" Larence Karstark scoffed, causing chuckles among the other commanders except for Warrick.

"Since when was there ever such a thing as a 'polite war?'" Rogar Bolton sneered alongside the Lord of Karhold, but Torrhen was a bit uneasy given the Boltons' past.

"Lord Konno," Aegon turned to the former assassin. "How would you recommend we proceed against the Caswells?"

"Well… we… have… bad… habit… in… doing… unexpectedness," Konno said slowly while surprising everyone with the fact that he could speak the common tongue at all. Out of respect and catching his meaning, they allowed him to speak without interruption. "So… we… continue."

"How so, my lord?" Torrhen was amused that the harsh man of House Haru was capable of telling a joke.

Konno tapped his finger on the parts of the Mander that were muddy. "We… make… bridge… here."

"A pontoon bridge, like what our enemies from the Vale did at the Green Fork?" Aegon's eyes widened.

Konno nodded. "We… can… circle… them… from… side."

"But with a diversion, I assume?" Ethan Reed inquired.

"Yes… you… swamp cunt," Konno answered.

A pause ensued in the tent, before the northern lords burst in laughter. The way he said it and given how small his knowledge of the common tongue still was, he either didn't know what 'cunt' meant or didn't know how to use the word correctly. Whichever was true, it did much to put the former assassin and teacher of Rhaenys in a new light and the fact that he would make such a simple mistake with words was entertaining.

After a few moments, the laughter got more intense, as some began crying as the brutal image of Lord Haru began to thaw in their minds. Even Lord Bolton smiled and shook his head at the whole ridiculousness of the situation alongside Ethan Reed, who wasn't offended.

As a king, Aegon had to keep himself above his subordinates, but he and Jaenyx had also chuckled lightly while Lord Konno was obviously unamused, along with Aevor Rahitheon and Rhaedar Tarareon.

Eventually, the laughter died down, but some of them wiped the tears from their eyes.

"You're a pretty wit, my lord. A pretty wit," Ethan Reed wagged his finger at Konno. "'Swamp cunt.' I have to remember that."

"Back to what we were discussing," Jaenyx wanted to reorient their attention back towards the battle plan. "We build a pontoon bridge, allowing many of our troops to cross onto the same bank of the Mander that Stonebridge castle is on, while our diversion will draw the enemy's attention away from our main hook."

"But how will we achieve the diversion, Prince Jaenyx?" Warrick Manderly asked.

"We use the most threatening-looking troops that we have under our command," Aegon eyed towards Lord Rogar. "The Bolton hoplites."

Lord Bolton was taken aback. "You would risk my men so willingly, Your Grace?"

"I feel that we haven't been utilizing you and your house to their full potential, my lord," Aegon answered. "Given how disciplined the men of House Bolton are, I am sure that your reputation will make the enemy see you as the most dangerous asset we have."

"You honor me, Your Grace," Lord Rogar dipped his head at Aegon's flattery.

"Therefore, we can use the conspicuous setup of the Bolton formations to draw the enemy out from their fortifications and have them focused on the bridge from one side," Aegon continued.

"You would have us act as the diversion alone, Your Grace?"

"Egg, I suggest we have the Manderly cavalry act as support," Jaenyx suggested. "Since the Manderlys are still well-known in these parts, they should also achieve the purpose of getting as much attention onto them as possible."

"That's right, Your Grace," Warrick bobbed his head. "The Reachmen will not take too kindly that the house who almost took the crown of the Reach have returned, so they will do whatever it takes to make sure that we don't come back and regain power here."

"Then, it's settled," Aegon concluded. "My lords, all of you should prepare accordingly. I shall ride on Balerion and fly only in support of the attack while Jaenyx will act on my behalf on the ground. But Jae, I expect to join me in the air."

"Better count on it," Jaenyx beamed.

The nearly eight thousand strong force of Bolton hoplites and Manderly cavalry began their advance further southwards while the men sworn to House Haru worked quickly to build the boats needed for the pontoon bridge. Finding the boats wasn't hard, as they had to "persuade" the people who lived in the immediate area to loan them theirs. _Not that I would care about what their feelings are, considering that they are not our people yet._

They decided to keep two thousand northerners in Tumbleton to maintain order and ensure that the people didn't rise up against them while the majority were engaged in battle. Against them at Stonebridge were six thousand troops from both House Caswell and House Merryweather, the latter contributing troops to his neighbor's defense since he saw their advance as a threat on his own home. Although they outnumbered them, Jaenyx and Aegon both agreed that the best way to achieve victory in the Reach was to use surprise and overwhelming force at key points. They would not rely on strength alone, as the Reach could muster more men than they could despite their recent losses in the stormlands and from when Prince Gawen was killed.

Felling some trees nearby, the men of House Haru tied the boats together and laid the planks that connected them all into one bridge. Torrhen mounted his horse and rode across its length. Satisfied that the bridge was sturdy enough, the remaining ten thousand men under Torrhen's direction began to pour onto the southern bank of the Mander under the cover of twilight.

"You do realize that we won't be enjoying the advantages we hold right now, right?" Konno asked Jaenyx in nihongo.

"That's why we have to move quickly. At the same time, we won't invest the time and effort it will take to attack Cider Hall. No matter how fast we go, it's very possible that Mern Gardener will have reinforced that place," Jaenyx answered.

"And what then?"

"We have to keep the Reachmen focused on us, while Orys, Vis, and Rhae win the fight elsewhere," Jaenyx smiled at the thought of his wife and sister wreaking havoc on the Valemen.

"Will they be able to return quickly here? With the forces that we need to prevent a long stalemate in this region?"

"Remember what you taught me, sensei. 'Fast is slow, but slow is fast,'" Jaenyx reminded him. "We can't rush it, but if we allow it to, we will have what we need for the decisive battle to come."

"Right," Konno groaned. "Which reminds me. This war will end one way or another, hopefully in our favor. After peace is achieved, what will you do with your new titles and new castle?"

"I might be occupied in the south for a while, sensei," Jaenyx answered. "Have to make Sphinx Rest into a proper Valyrian fortress and ensure that the Faith adherents in these parts will never threaten us again. I also imagine that much of my time will be spent here in the Reach, where the center of the Faith is."

"Will Aegon do what we did with the Blackwoods and Starks? Make a Reach house the single powerful house in the Reach? Because that might be a bad idea," Konno pointed out.

"I know," Jaenyx acknowledged. "That's why we have to make sure that no one house in the Reach has all the power and can keep each other in check, but we'll maintain the Reach's territorial integrity."

"And you do realize that your Valyrians need to have their own lands and keeps if a strong Valyrian base can hope to arise?"

"They will be," Jaenyx nodded. "And alongside the Valyrian families that were here before us, they'll be vital in achieving that purpose."

"Not going to ask what exactly you have in mind for that, but I will say this. They Targaryens are your family and you might not be as stubborn as before, but don't settle for less. What you do now sets a precedent, so don't fuck it up," Konno warned.

"Yes, sensei," Jaenyx nodded. "And don't worry. Our enemies will know that they made a mistake in provoking us and we'll show them that aggression has consequences."

Konno nodded approvingly. "Very good. Now, let's trim some flowers, shall we?"

Jaenyx cracked a smile before riding with Konno and the men of House Haru towards a small hill that overlooked Stonebridge. There, they saw the men of House Bolton and House Manderly already set up in their positions, with the hoplites in the center and the Manderly cavalry on the flanks in a basic arrangement. And as expected, the Caswell and Merryweather bannermen had fortified their positions on and near the bridge for the expected assault.

A horn blasted from the Bolton ranks, causing the hoplites to lower their pikes and begin the march forward to the bridge. Footmen carrying the cornucopia sigil of House Merryweather had quickly formed their own ranks, getting their shields up, lowering their own spears, and their swords ready. Despite the Bolton and Manderly force outnumbering the Merryweather and Caswell force by two thousand men, this was the latter's home and so they had a defensive advantage. With the control of the bridge, they thus had a choke point from which to negate the slight numerical superiority from the Bolton and Manderly men.

However, the Bolton hoplites had two things going for them. Their pikes were slightly longer than those held by the Merryweather footmen, allowing them to strike at their adversaries with greater reach. Size did matter in certain cases, and that was one of them.

Another was the flayed man sigil of their shields. Jaenyx and Konno were personally indifferent to its origins, but they both agreed that Rogar Bolton as a slippery man. However, they also concurred that the Boltons did know how to utilize fear and counted on their flayed sigils to scare at least of the Reachmen, all of whom could not even fathom such an act as their moral and religious conventions only endorsed certain and "acceptable" methods of killing. _Maybe I should have had Lord Bolton flay one of the prisoners since we are at war, but that would have pissed Torrhen off._

Jaenyx and Konno both saw the Bolton hoplites and Merryweather footmen finally clashing into each other. As expected, the Boltons drew first blood as their longer-reaching pikes killed some of the Reachmen at the start. The Merryweather responded by getting into tighter formation, with their shields leaving as little gaps as possible, before advancing further. However, a shield formation was hard to maintain if the men had different weapons, which was especially true of those armed with swords. Some broke formation to charge into the Bolton pikes and few managed to swing away and crash into the "flayed man" shields. Their success was short-lived, as their bravado got them killed and thus weakening the shield formation of the Merryweathers'.

Meanwhile, an archery exchange ensued between the combined Bolton and Manderly force and those from especially the Stonebridge castle, with the Caswell archers shooting from the ramparts. Despite the shields on both sides offering protection, a few arrows managed to find their way through the gaps, wounding and killing their marks.

Turning around, Jaenyx saw that the rest of the northern army led by Aegon and Torrhen had finally reached their position in full force. Walking up to Torrhen, he gestured for Konno. "The Boltons and Manderlys are heavily engaged. Lord Konno will cover your advance while Aegon and I will prevent their escape by burning the fields in the south."

"Just a suggestion, Prince Jaenyx, but I think we should burn the castle. It'll cause us more pain just to hold it and we only need the bridge," Torrhen said.

Jaenyx thought about it, before nodding. "I'll let Egg know. But don't attack until the dragons have finished their burning, understood?"

"Yes, Your Grace," Torrhen bobbed his head.

"Once you see fire, rain down arrows on them," Jaenyx told Konno.

"Give them hell, Jaenyx," Konno answered before he and the rest of the Haru men readied their bows.

_Pick me up, girl, _Jaenyx signaled Cloudwynd. The northmen with Torrhen made way as the blue dragon landed and took off after her rider grabbed her spines.

Quickly rising into the air, he scanned the skies until he saw the unmistakable shape of Balerion. Aegon waved at him while Jaenyx pointed to the castle below. He gestured to his goodbrother what Torrhen recommended, which Aegon agreed to with a simple bob with his head. He then pointed to himself, telling Aegon that he would destroy the castle, only to receive a shaking of the head and instead for him to point at Balerion and indicating that they would do it.

Jaenyx was surprised, as the Aegon of a few moons ago would have hesitated in destroying a castle and thus potentially wiping out a house. But with their new status and seeing how the enemy had treated Orys, the new King of Westeros was less inclined for leniency towards any that raised their arms against them and did not submit.

Jaenyx nodded in agreement while patting to Cloudwynd on what they had to do. Roaring in acknowledgement, she pointed her head downwards and began her descent, the ground south of the Stonebridge castle laying wide open for them.

"Dracarys!" Jaenyx shouted. Flying in a wide semi-circle, Cloudwynd let loose her blue flames on the southern approach to Stonebridge while igniting the grasses that made up the largely flat ground surrounding it. The arc extended all way to the Mander, completely cutting off the Caswells and its lord from escape or reinforcement.

Cloudwynd ascended back up, with Jaenyx turning his head and seeing the large form of Balerion begin his own descent. What followed next reminded him of what had occurred at Harrenhal, as the black dragon unleashed his fire onto the castle and engulfing its ramparts, its keep, and whoever was unlucky to have remained inside. The stream of fire was so strong that parts of the walls and the keep crumbled from its power, effectively making the castle useless to the enemy. Adding to the sight was the charred remains of the cornucopia sigil, meaning that House Caswell's future was in doubt since it was unlikely that its lord or its heirs had survived Balerion's flames.

Upon the signal, Torrhen charged forward with the remainder of the northerners, with the Harus letting loose an arrow stream that struck the Merryweathers and the remaining Caswell men from behind.

With the loss of their archers on the now collapsed walls of the Stonebridge castle and the entry of the dragons themselves, the Boltons and Manderlys were now able to make good progress against their foes who had remained entrenched on the bridge. Jaenyx and Aegon were careful as to not hit the bridge with fire, as they needed it to effectively cross between both banks of the Mander and be able to march on the enemy effectively. Torrhen and the rest of the northmen struck into the unprotected archers of their Reachmen foes of that day, along with any others that were not in formation.

Balerion and Cloudwynd landed some distance away from the carnage, with Jaenyx and Aegon sliding off of them to take part in the fight. "I think we might want to check what's left of the castle," Jaenyx pointed to the ruins of the seat of House Caswell.

"You sure there will be somebody left, after what Balerion did?" Aegon was skeptical.

"Can't hurt to be sure," Jaenyx shrugged. "And given how that our army won't take long to mop them up, we shouldn't miss the action."

Aegon gestured to the castle. "Lead the way, Jae."

Unsheathing Seablaze and his dagger, with Aegon bringing out Blackfyre for this occasion, they made their way past the collapsed parts of the wall and took a few moments to survey the carnage. Just like at Harrenhal, the stones had blackened with ash and soot and whatever structures remained had crushed under the power of dragonfire. And as was the case of the former seat of the Hoares, there were bodies strewn everywhere in various poses and shapes, all of them charred.

"We might find more luck inside the keep," Jaenyx said aloud.

"Or what's left of it," Aegon noted.

"Let's go," Jaenyx kicked down a crumbling door and both entered.

But to their surprise, the great hall of the Caswells was largely intact. In it, they found eight men there, all sporting the centaur sigil. In the center was a man who both Aegon and Jaenyx presumed to be Lord Caswell, judging from his clean armor and high-quality steel sword.

_Six men armed with swords, two with axes, all of them thirty paces away from us_, Jaenyx calculated. All of them were cocky but wary, thinking that the king and prince might be coaxed into attacking one of at a time. Both immediately assumed defensive stances, Aegon raising Blackfyre and Jaenyx readying Seablaze and his dagger.

No words were spoken, as the men of House Caswell were not inclined to speak to the ones who burned their home. Raising their swords, they stood there with their guard down. The ones who struck first were the axe men, who swung their weapons at Aegon and Jaenyx. But the greater reach of Blackfyre and Seablaze allowed both to parry and stab at them, with Aegon running one through in a downward diagonal cut and Jaenyx cutting the other's throat with a quick slice of the dagger.

Jaenyx and Aegon don't run at the group, but they circle it from the right and left. One of the swordsmen took the bait, running at Aegon directly. The first swordsman twirls from left to right to avoid a head on slash from Aegon and slash at him from above, but he lunged his sword into the man's throat from the side and ripped it out savagely.

Jaenyx slowed down his gait to a prowl, his side to two other swordsmen, inviting the them both to attack him from in front of and behind him. One came from behind and was one step in front of the other, and Jaenyx pirouettes to his left to dodge the sword and slash him across the face. He then turns to his right, dodges the sword swung at his head by the other swordsman, pivots around the first one and slashes the second one at the ankle. Kneeling close to the ground, he grabs that man's head and moves it in the way of another attempted thrust from a sword.

Jaenyx shoves the other man's body away and backs up defensively as another swordsman rushes him. Knowing surprise won't work, he posts up in front of him in a defensive posture. To Jaenyx's left, another swordsman rushes him. He runs, jumps up in the air, folds his knees, and uses the combined force of the jump and his legs onto the swordsman rushing him, which knocks him off balance and causes him to fall.

Meanwhile, Aegon parries another attempted slash. Yet another swordsman takes this opportunity to step forward but Aegon ducks, pirouetting to his right towards the stumbling swordsman and slashes him in the neck. The stumbling swordsman falls into the defensive one as he readied his second attack and Aegon slashes savagely at his head. The second to last swordsman comes at him from in between the two previous, spinning into his attack with his sword aimed at his head. Aegon catches his sword arm with his hand and impales the last swordsman's head with his sword.

Jaenyx then sees that the Aegon is about to attacked by Lord Caswell. Before he could, Jaenyx rushes to him, pushes him away, and readies his arms. The Lord of Stonebridge lunged at him again with a high slash, but to his surprise, he brings out a dirk and jabs it into his abdomen as he tried to dodge it.

As he staggered slightly, he slashed once again at his head, which he evades and then he stopes the second jab with his dirk with his sword. He tries to swing at his legs, but he hits her again, this time in the nose causing her to stumble. Slowly he steps forward and swings at her arm which he blocks, but the power of the swing, staggering him backwards once again. He swings again at her head but this time she dodges, and when she counter swings he blocks it with his sword.

While locked together, he stabs his dirk into his leg. Unexpectedly, she tries to push off of him to rip out his dirk from his leg. But Jaenyx grabs his hand, keeping it in his leg. He then headbutts the Lord of Stonebridge, and as he slashes at his head defensively, he ducks and cuts him in the leg with an upward slash. The force of the slash causes his foe to spin, landing on the ground disorientated, his sword and dirk falling away from her. Defenseless, he coughs, but barely winces.

Jaenyx pulls the dirk out of his leg while Aegon dispatches of the last swordsman. Seeing the Lord Caswell on the ground, he then eyed to his goodbrother, rushing immediately to his side upon seeing his wound.

"It's nothing," Jaenyx assured him. "Just pour some wine on it and tighten this up with clean cloth, and it'll heal."

"It better," Aegon said before looking at the wounded form of Lord Caswell. "You fought well, my lord, and you have shown great skill with the blade. I just wish that you fought on our side."

"I'd have never sided with you, dragonspawn," the lord defiantly hissed before spitting in his face.

"For a flower, you sure have some nastiness to you," Jaenyx scoffed as Aegon wiped his face. "Let's end your suffering," and with that, he bent down and stabbed in his throat, making him bleed out to death.

Then, Torrhen and some of his bannermen entered the hall, surprised at the carnage he had seen.

"Both of Your Graces did this?" Torrhen asked.

"Yes," Aegon answered. "Have we won?"

"We've secured the bridge and have captured the few that remained, only five hundred and a few knights. Where's Lord Caswell, Your Graces?" Jaenyx pointed to the dead body of the Lord of the Stonebridge. "I see."

"We'll rest here for a few days and continue southwards. Once we're within sight of Longtable, we'll begin the preparations for the attack," Jaenyx told Torrhen, who nodded his agreement.

"Let's get someone to see to your wound, Jae," Aegon put his arm on Jaenyx's shoulders. "Can't have my goodbrother be limping."

"Worry about yourself, Egg. That was some nice swordsmanship I saw," Jaenyx noted.

"Took a page from your book. Have to be a little creative with Blackfyre," Aegon shrugged.

"Glad I'm a good teacher," Jaenyx jested. "Maybe I'll have you call me 'master' and make you do runs."

"Don't even mention it. I don't want to be reminded of how Lord Haru teaches," Aegon groaned.

"Well, we got more where that came from," Jaenyx said. "Ask Rhae."

"Wonder how they're doing in the Vale? Rhae and Vis?"

"They're our wives. They'll be fine, especially with the Mormont ladies and Lord Snow with them."

"Let's hope they stay that way," Aegon smiled. "I long to be Rhae's arms again soon."

"Be patient," Jaenyx rubbed Aegon's head. "It'll make it more satisfying, as I know it will be with Vis when we are together again."

"And our babes?"

"Gods, Egg. You worry too much," Jaenyx moaned lightly. "Just trust that they will be safe and everything will be fine. After all, our babes' first memory of us shouldn't be one of anxiety."

"Right," Aegon conceded as both walked out of the ruined castle towards the camp that was now being set up, with Balerion and Cloudwynd resting.

**A/N: The battle was based on Stamford Bridge (1066), with the bridge crossing taken from Arcole (1796). **

**I trust that all of you have a good grasp on the politicking on both sides, so from this point, the chapters will be mostly focused with the war and other aspects of combat. And I got inspiration for that swordfight after watching the Witcher's market fight against Renfri and her gang, although Aegon and Jaenyx don't have the Witcher's magical powers beyond their control of dragons. **

**Also, the focus on the war is more accommodating for this period as I continue to search for jobs, so please bear with me. Thanks!**

**Next, we will see Orys heavily engaged with the Reachmen in the stormlands. **


	48. Orys V

**A/N: Hope you all are staying safe in these uncertain times. Also, quick update. Things will be continue to be busy due to many other things. But please bear with me if I don't seem consistent in my postings.**

**Without ado, enjoy!**

ORYS V

Orys remained seated on his horse, Thunderfist resting against his shoulder, as he watched the carnage unfold before his eyes. He had to wait for the right moment before he could unveil the most crucial maneuver for this fight, and arguably for the struggle against the Seven thumpers from the Reach.

But this required much patience from Orys and his stormlord commanders, since a tactical design of such complexity had not been executed before. Even though they might have had some time to develop the plan in the command tent, to actually carry it out was a different story given that no plan survived first contact with the enemy. And despite the losses incurred by the Reachmen, from the death of Gawen Gardener to their most defeat at Stonebridge, the Gardener bannermen in the stormlands still represented a threat against the former kingdom of the Durrandons and they retained enough strength to threaten Storm's End if they fell into a false sense of security.

"When do we attack, my lord?" Lord Dondarrion asked eagerly. "We will lose our side of the Slayne if we don't stop Prince Edmund now."

"Wait until they have moved all of their heavy horse across the Slayne," Orys said. "Then, the infantry will follow. Once that's done, we'll attack."

"But they're dying down there, Lord Orys!" Ser Bruze Tarth pointed frantically at the battle below them.

"I want to charge in there and save them from death also," Orys started into Ser Bruze's eyes. "But if we are to break the Gardeners and do some real damage against the flowers of the Reach, we have to wait. This is a chance to drive the greenhand back across the Slayne and then the Red Mountains. With their destruction, we can retake the lands we've lost."

Just a few days earlier, Orys ordered the stormlanders who had entrenched themselves on the east bank of the Slayne to begin withdrawing from their positions while ordering some lighter cavalry to attack against the Gardener positions on the west bank. Naturally, some of the lords and the serjeants were skeptical of his plan, since it seemed as if their lord paramount was about to needlessly sacrifice some of his own troops on a needless charge.

"It's the same approach used when I fought against Gawen Gardener," Orys explained. "We're not getting anywhere with the present situation, but we have to end the deadlock on the Slayne now. Both of my sisters are fighting in the Vale and both of my brothers are fighting in the Reach itself. If we want to make a significant impact on the war, we have to break the Gardeners here."

"I don't see how risking the lives of one thousand men achieves that purpose," Lord Wylde stated.

"I will only ask to the engaged with the Gardener line head on, then withdraw back to the west bank towards the unguarded areas of the river. Once they see that, the Reachmen will commence their own attack and they'll probably use all of the strength they have to exploit what will be seen as a major gap in our lines," Orys outlined.

"It's still risky, my lord, with all due respect," Lord Caron pointed out. "There's no telling if the Gardeners will take the bait."

"They will, Lord Caron," Argella joined in. "The Gardeners are an emotional bunch, as seen from how they held grudges against my father after he killed Garse Gardener at Summerfield. And they must be feeling what you all are feeling now regarding the present circumstances. They're tired of being stuck at the bank and combined with how much they really want to kill my husband, they'll take any chances they see without further consideration. Prince Edmund might be suited for court, but he's no tactician like his younger brother, whose armor was crushed and shattered by the very man who stands before you now." She put her hand on Orys' shoulder. "He has done very well among us, and for us. But is that enough for you all to trust him?"

The lords were silenced, still amazed at how Argella defended her husband despite the circumstances of how they married in the first place. _Their thick heads need more time to understand what loyalty looks like, _Orys thought. But eventually, they all came around to Orys' strategy and thus prepared themselves accordingly.

The Lord of Storm's End selected the men of Houses Caron and Connington to lead the assault. They would strike from a relatively accessible area of the west bank, as there were no forests or rocky hills that marked that particular part. Therefore, any withdrawal from that area would tempt any warrior to make a move on there. And once enough Gardener bannermen had crossed the Slayne through that area while heavily engaged with the Caron and Connington men, that was when Orys would deliver the hammer blow.

In the early hours of morning, the mounted Caron and Connington men charged across the river and crashed into the unsuspecting Gardener bannermen that were still asleep. Their sentries were too late to warn the rest of the camp, as the faster-moving stormlanders attacked with speed and chaos ensued. Men were confused as to who was attacking and even some began to fight each other, from what Orys could hear.

But, as Orys expected, the Caron and Connington horsemen did not enjoy the element of surprise for long, as that the Gardener bannermen slowly but surely regrouped and organized into battle formations. Over time, the Caron and Connington bannermen began to take casualties, as the enemy started to effectively defend against their charges. Once they fought long enough, a stormlander blew a horn, which signaled the Caron and Connington men to withdraw back across the Slayne.

Of course, their withdrawal was far from organized, as they had to negotiate with the treacherous waters of the Slayne and be able to continue on as the Gardener archers rained arrows on their backs and some even tried to cut down by following them into the waters. Fortunately, a good number of Connington and Caron men were able to make it back across the Slayne and reform their own formations. But they were soon faced by a full-scale onslaught by the Gardeners, with their heavy cavalry and their infantry charging across the river and towards them.

Orys gave them strict orders not to move from their positions until at least half of their cavalry made it onto the west bank. Once they did, the Caron and Connington men moved further away from the Slayne and towards more even ground.

The tactical design was contingent on the Gardeners focusing on the Carons and Conningtons, thus exposing their flanks. They could never be able to last in a direct frontal engagement with the Gardeners, some thirty-five thousand strong, with twenty thousand stormlanders, especially since the Gardeners had more cavalry to call on. So, they had to bring them out into other positions where attacking them would be easier to pull off.

Orys squinted his eyes as he counted how many of the Gardener bannermen had crossed the river, fighting the urge to charge prematurely, as the lessons from the battles against Gawen Gardener and Rook's Rest remained fresh in his mind.

Once he saw the footmen being crossing, Orys turned to his personal herald. "Now!"

The footmen nodded eagerly, finally being allowed to do what he could do, and blew as hard as he could on the war horn.

The reason why the Gardeners would be tempted to attack was because behind the Connington and Caron men was a mountain pass that led through the other mountains that outlined the Slayne and thus represented an easy way to Storm's End. But what they didn't know was that Orys assembled all of the cavalry and bowmen he could muster and hid them at various points in the mountains. Once enough of the Gardeners had crossed onto the west bank of the Slayne, the horn acted as a signal for the cavalry and the bowmen to emerge out of their concealment and attack at their flanks.

Knights donning the sigils of Houses Swann, Selmy, Dondarrion, and Morrigen among other houses charged out from their places in the smaller mountain passes and galloped towards their Reach foes, while stormlander archers used their superior elevation to rain down their own arrows onto the large mass of Reach knights and men-at-arms.

Disorganized and not expecting such a large number of troops to suddenly appear, panic spread among the Reachmen. The stormlander cavalry collided into the side of their mounted opponents, their lances either forcing them off of their horses or the power granted from the momentum being enough to pierce through the fairly weak parts of a knight's armor on his sides. The same was said of the those not mounting horses, as they were out of formation and thus easy marks.

Just like against the Tarlys and Peakes, Orys commanded the reserves, which would be brought out only when their charge would result in a sure crush of their Reach adversaries. But he was not going to commit all of his forces into the fray yet, as he knew that there were more Gardener bannermen to contend with and it would be unwise to show his entire hand early.

"My lord! Look!" Ser Bruze pointed to the south. His eyes following his master-at-arms finger, Orys turned his head and saw more Gardeners advancing through the river and onto the west bank to reinforce their beleaguered comrades. He exhaled, but not out of relief that his decision to hold back his reserves turned out to be a good one.

_The enemy must be thinking that this is the decisive battle and are putting all that they can against us here, _he assessed. Remembering what Argella said about the Gardeners being emotional, they decided that their numbers would win them the day and accordingly gathered all that they could for the final push.

Thinking quickly, Orys turned to one of the scouts. "You. Go around the mountain and river and see how the enemy encampment is defended. Quickly!"

"Yes, Lord Orys," the scout nodded before mounting his horse and riding as fast as he could towards the south.

"You," he turned to another rider. "Get a message to Lord Swann. Tell him to the enemy occupied and to withdraw closer to the pass. He has to keep them distracted."

"Yes, my lord," the rider galloped off.

"What do you plan on doing?" Lord Dondarrion asked. "My men are dying there."

"We have to end the Gardeners' presence in these lands once and for all," Orys declared. "And what's happening now might give us a chance."

"Are you sure about that, Lord Orys?"

"It's a chance we have to take, or we'll never get Edmund out," Orys answered.

Lord Swann must've got his orders, as the stormlander line and cavalry moved closer to the pass that allowed a direct way to Storm's End. While the risk of letting the enemy penetrate there was substantial, it was a risk that they had to take. _I know you told me not to take risks, Quenton, but this time, I have to._

Fortuitously, the rider eventually came back, after what seemed like an hour of inaction on Orys' part, and he could sense the frustration from some of the commanders that were at his side. _Any longer, and they might have really challenged me._

"My lord, I got here as soon as I could," the rider was out of breath.

"What did you see?"

"My lord, the enemy camp is largely empty of soldiers. Only a few thousand from what I could count."

The commanders glanced at each other, now seeing what Orys was looking for. "My lord, I am sure that we can cross the Slayne with the men we have," Lord Mertyns said. "With the Gardener men occupied down there, we have a chance at attacking their camp."

"I concur," Lord Dondarrion agreed. "If we are to attack their camp, the time is now, Lord Orys."

Orys took another moment to assess his options. He could take the reserves and attack the camp in full force, but that would leave the rest of the men on the west bank of the Slayne to fend for themselves. Also, since they would be on the other side of the river, they would not be fast enough to strike from behind.

The other option was to strike with the whole reserves and smash into the flanks. But there would be no telling if that would inflict the intended damage. _Whatever happens, the Gardeners must be broken here, or we will never drive them out._

Orys then knew what he had to do. "Ser Bruze, I think it's time that I give you some actual responsibilities."

"My lord?" the master-at-arms of Storm's End raised his eyebrow.

"Take the lightest horsemen with you, cross the Slayne, and strike at the enemy encampment on the east bank. Since they have no knights or men-at-arms there, destroying their camp should be very easy," Orys told him.

"What about you?"

"I will take what's left of the men here and charge down at them," Orys pointed to the battle below. "I think they've waited long enough for us."

"My lord, I'm honored, but—"

"Save it!" Orys shushed him. "We have no time for that. Just do it!"

Surprised by the sudden urgency in his voice, with some touch of fury, Ser Bruze bobbed his head in compliance and did what he was told. With just over two thousand men, the Tarth knight led them south and across the Slayne to strike at the Gardener encampment.

As for Orys, he and six thousand others readied themselves for what would be the final push. "Men, today we show these fucks that flowers cannot grow here! Who's with me?!" The men cheered, as their weapons were thrusted up high. Putting down his helm, Orys readied Thunderfist and tightened his grip on his horse's reins. Pointing his Valyrian steel war hammer downwards, he yelled, "FOLLOW ME!"

Despite the slight downward angle, the stormlander reserves followed their lord paramount as they gained speed against the Gardener flanks. Lances lowered, swords drawn, and axes and pikes readied, they all did their best to stay focused, as the slightest misstep might negate the advantage granted to them by the final charge.

Miraculously, the Gardener bannermen had overextended themselves by advancing too far from their side of the river in their need to avenge the death of Prince Gawen and to end the war quickly. Thus, there were too many gaps between the greenhand's footmen and cavalry. And they noticed too late the threat coming at their sides, as Orys twirled Thunderfist and used the force gained to strike at his first kill of the day. Since that man had no army, he could even hear the ribs crushing while galloping past him.

The six thousand men of the reserves also found easy marks, as the speed gained from their downhill charge allowed to be ram through the disorganized Gardener ranks and accomplish what their comrades did earlier in the battle. But this charge was more devastating than the first, as they could not see where the rest of their enemy's army was.

Orys felt his horse shove Reachmen aside, while he continued to swing Thunderfist against any unlucky enough to feel its touch. He slammed his war hammer straight down on one's head, more than likely crushing his backbone and cracking his skull. He swung it upwards against another's chin, smashing his jaw and probably knocking more than a few teeth out. He also hit another Reachmen on his temple, squishing his eye among other things. Whatever damage he had incurred, he eventually lost track as he the battle made him kill or maim without thinking too much about it.

Orys then saw one knight, bearing the sigil of House Roxton, come in front of him. The traded blows with their weapons, but Orys' was the heavier and was able to knock his sword out of his hand before stunning him with a strike against his helm. He finished him with a diagonal swing downwards, forcing him off of his horse while he could hear his neck being broken.

Another knight, this one armed with an axe, tried to use the distraction gained from Orys' close encounter to maybe plunge his weapon into his back. But Orys saw him just him in time and used a move similar to the one he used against Gawen Gardener, using his horse to spin around and hit the knight square in the chest, causing his breastplate to crush and by extension his ribcage.

Finally, a Reachmen tried to stick him with a pike, and was close to piercing his neck. But by some miracle, he just missed Orys' head, allowing him to grab the shaft while bringing Thunderfist to his cheek, leading to a very unpleasant sight that the Lord of Storm's End did not wish to remember.

Looking around, he saw the rest of the Reachmen either retreating or just too dazed from the combined charge to continue fighting. Most of the latter merely dropped their weapons after seeing how many of their comrades were corpses on the field, not expecting their own army to suffer such a loss.

He found Lord Dondarrion and Lord Swann as he moved thorough the remains of the battlefield, which had quieted down. He then felt another presence, and smiled after seeing Ser Bruze approach him, his armor covered in dirt and blood.

"My lord, the encampment has been destroyed. I couldn't find Prince Edmund, however," Ser Bruze reported.

"That's all right, Ser Bruze," Orys patted his shoulder. "I'm sure with the damage we have done, we have achieved what we needed to do."

"I see at least ten thousand men lying dead, mostly from the side of our foes," Lord Dondarrion noted. "You have achieved a great victory, my lord."

"We have done it together, my lord," Orys reminded him. "As I said, we have to work together. And look what happened."

"Agreed," Lord Swann nodded. "And now, with the enemy destroyed and on the run, we can begin to retake the lands we have lost."

"Soon, Lord Swann. First, we must regroup and get rest. Afterwards, we can cross the Slayne and then begin to take back our lands," Orys said.

* * *

Orys was granted usage of Crow's Nest, the seat of House Morrigen and the closest major fortress to the Slayne. As Stonehelm was too close to the lines, it couldn't be used as their headquarters. Although not made of stone, Crow's Nest was placed on a very advantageous position in the mountains, offering a commanding view of the land for miles around, including both banks of the Slayne.

As Orys said, the stormlords had to rest and recuperate before they could advance across the river. However, he could not remain at Crow's Nest for long, as he got word from Argella that the fleet that he had so carefully built and used was ready and now needed to be boarded by himself and his troops.

Orys had never saw himself as a sea captain, but his expedition against the corsairs of the Stepstones showed him that he did have some potential at sea combat and could thus be used when Daemon Velaryon was busy elsewhere. And it only occurred to him how important combat on the high seas really was, as the enemy could be resupplied from the ocean even while they suffered constant defeats on land.

He therefore decided that he himself needed to lead the fleet against their adversaries' own, which mostly consisted of the Redwynes and the ironborn. But getting to the west coast of Westeros was easier said than done, as he had to sail around the southern part of the continent past the Stepstones towards the Arbor and then Oldtown in order to challenge the combined ships of the Reach and the Iron Islands. Such a journey with untested ships and crew warranted a leader who believed in the importance of the fleet. Since Orys was the first Lord of Storm's End to being the orientation of the stormlanders towards the sea, he himself had to do it since no one else could. _Ser Bruze might have achieved merit against the corsairs, but he doesn't yet have the conviction to sail on my behalf._

And that left the question on who would lead the rest of the army through the Red Mountains. He could trust Ser Bruze and Lord Dondarrion to act on his behalf, but he had to be sure that they would actually achieve their objective by traversing the Red Mountains and towards the Reach itself. Like the rest of his siblings, he knew that taking the Kingdom of the Reach was the key to winning the war, as it was the center of the Faith and of chivalric tradition. The Kingdom of the Rock might have had gold reserves, but gold was useless if one didn't have farmland, and the Reach was the breadbasket of the entire continent south of the Neck.

So, he sent a message to Dragonstone and asked for his father for help. _He might not be a tactical genius, but he does know how to control lords. With Vermidrexes, it'll be very easy for him to do so._

Hearing twin roars in the distance, Orys saw two large shapes approaching Crow's Nest. He smiled as the unmistakable forms of Vermidrexes and Oceanwave came closer before outstretching their wings and landing in front of the wooden castle.

It felt as if it had been months since he had seen his father, as the occurrences from when he felled Gawen Gardener had gone by so quickly in his mind. And now that he had achieved probably their most important victory yet, he felt himself change on many levels. But no matter what happened, he wanted to remain his father's son.

Aerion slid off Vermidrexes, his control over the previous cannibal clear as he patted the coal black dragon and it snorted happily. As for Valaena, she kissed her grey dragon's snout, causing what Orys could swear was a smile from Oceanwave. What surprised him the most was that Aerion and Valaena kissed each other deeply, the kind of kiss that he had only seen between Aegon and Rhaenys, and Jaenyx and Visenya.

Orys was not going to complain that his father and stepmother was enjoying a more openly passionate marriage, but this was quite the change since they had only reserved such feelings in private. _Maybe being dragonriders themselves must have something to do with it._

Pulling away from their kiss, Aerion strode towards his son. Orys and his father embraced each other tightly, the familiar feelings of their touch coming back to them.

"My son," Aerion whispered in his ear.

"Kepa," Orys called him in High Valyrian. He turned to Valaena. "Muña."

Valaena smiled at him remembering what she had asked him to call her after she finally accepted him. "Orys," she kissed his cheek. "It seems as if victory comes naturally to you."

Orys blushed at his stepmother's praise. "I do what I can, muña. Nothing more to it."

Aerion chuckled. "Looks like being a lord taught you much regarding humility. But don't be too humble, as I want my son to brag more about his exploits."

"I will, kepa," Orys nodded.

"Now, show us to the great hall," Aerion gestured for his son to lead the way. "Although I must admit, I'm a little disappointed at how the castle."

Indeed, there was no other castle in Westeros to match Dragonstone in its glory, with Storm's End a close second. Orys might have heard some things about other castles such as Casterly Rock and Winterfell, but he never been to either and thus agreed with his father. _Dragonstone and Storm's End are home, so there's nothing better for me._

Pouring his father and stepmother some Dornish red, Orys sat down across from them as he explained the situation. "After my commanders did the final count, we were able to crush the Reach army led by Prince Edmund Gardener with a total of twenty thousand dead and many more wounded and captured. From what we could guess, those were the most able troops that Prince Edmund had under his command and their destruction caused them to lose morale. Soon, the army will cross the Slayne to retake their lands and eventually invade the Reach itself."

Aerion and Valaena nodded in understanding.

"But we cannot ignore the treat from the sea," Orys continued. "The key to winning this way is to take the Reach and we ignore the number of ships that the Gardeners can command at our own peril. What's to stop them from sailing all the way around Dorne to attack us on the eastern coast of the continent and eventually threaten Storm's End and Dragonstone?"

"What will you do to address that threat, Orys?" Aerion asked.

"I have led ships into battle before, but I intend to really test my crews on how well they can perform on the sea. And since the creation of the fleet in these lands was my own idea, I have to lead it."

"Are you sure you're up for the task? Not that I doubt that you can lead your fleet around Dorne towards the west coast, since you always did have a unique type of persistence," Valaena placed her chin on her hands. "But you sure you can contend with the numbers assembled by Redwynes and the ironborn?"

"From what we could gather, the ironborn and those who had answered the Starry Sept's call have only engaged in an alliance with each other for convenience," Orys answered.

"That makes sense," Aerion pursed his lips. "Darvin Hoare wants to have family's lands back, while the Starry Sept is willing to make some concessions in order to utilize the ironborn's naval strengths. But that still doesn't erase the fact that the ironborn periled the Lannisters and the Gardeners for a long time before they even conquered the riverlands."

"And that knowledge is what we can use to our advantage," Orys stated. "They won't share command, and they won't cooperate. Numbers are useless if there is no unity among the leaders. And because I will be leading the fleet, we will be in a better position to fight."

"But why do you need us here, Orys? As far as I can see, you're doing fine all by yourself," Valaena asked.

"I can trust Ser Bruze Tarth and Lord Dondarrion to lead the army on my behalf while I sail around Dorne to the Arbor. But without my presence and given how they gave Argella a hard time while I was a prisoner, I can't trust them to behave while I'm gone. And that's where you both can comie in."

"Ah," Aerion nodded, understanding. "You want us to keep the stormlords in line. Because I have experience in dealing with those who were disobedient towards us and we have two dragons, they'll be easier to control while you command your fleet."

"Exactly," Orys confirmed. "You don't have to actually command the army, as I have men who are skilled at tactics and battle strategy. But keep them in line and focused towards the goal. We cannot afford any scheming among the lords at this point, because our first priority is to win the war and we can accomplish that by staying united."

Aerion grinned while Valaena could see that the bastard who spent much of his time whoring in Dragonstone had really matured into an able lord and commander.

"All right," Aerion drunk his Dornish red. "We'll keep the troops focused and motivated while you're gone. If the stormlords are as who you say they are, then it should be very interesting. I was looking forward to getting back into plotting anyway." Orys raised his eyebrow. "I was being sarcastic, son," Aerion assured him.

"Good to hear," Orys nodded slowly. "On a more personal matter, I'm glad to see you that you and muña are being more expressive with your marriage, but I wish to know what exactly happened that made it so."

"Well, Orys, I think it's because we are truly dragons," Valaena grasped Aerion's hand. "We might have had dragonblood, but only after we tamed our own dragons were we able to understand that being the blood and riding our mounts allows us to be what we are supposed to be. And age doesn't determine passion, as long as we have both and each other," Valaena kissed Aerion's cheek. "It makes us wonder what we have missed when Egg, Rhae, Vis, and Jaenyx had dragons and enjoyed such fervid unions."

"I am sure you were like that even before you had dragons," Orys tried to comfort them.

"We did have a good marriage, son," Aerion crossed his arm with Valaena's. "What we are trying to say is that having dragons made it better. It unlocked the fire that might have been mitigated since we didn't have mounts of our own."

Orys sighed, thinking about what his marriage to Argella was like. There were feelings and she did love him, but they still haven't consummated it yet.

"I trust that your love life is as passionate as ours," Valaena eyed Orys knowingly.

"We're getting there," Orys replied with a truthful statement.

"Well," Aerion also knew what he was implying but decided not to press him further. "I'm sure that once this war is done, I can expect some dragonstags."

With Aerion about to be a grandfather of two babes, it was only naturally that he wanted more grandchildren. "They'll come," he promised.

"You sure?" Valaena cocked her head at him.

"I'm sure."

_Gods, I might have some explaining to do to Argella. We might have to progress our marriage further, or kepa is going to very disappointed._ While Orys knew better, he didn't want to deny his father a chance at more grandchildren. _But take it slow and don't force it. After all, that's why she loved me because I considered what she wanted._

But besides that, Orys had to begin the journey back to Storm's End and then the preparations for the voyage around Dorne. Whatever his part may be, he knew that everyone will play a vital role towards the final victory. _And we shall triumph, or it's over for us._

**A/N: The battle's basic plan was based on the Third Battle of Kharkov (1943), but condensed to highlight some of the key tactical maneuvers that the Germans pulled off against the Soviets. **

**With the Gardeners' strength in the stormlands now broken, Orys can lead the stormlords towards the Reach. But he will also fight on the seas, since the Redwynes and the ironborn remain a threat. To control the Reach, the dragons have to destroy every part of their strength to show who is control. Besdies the ironborn, the Redwynes represented one of the biggest threats to the realm since their fleet makes them very influential and thus takes away power from the crown. **

**And I thought how Aerion and Valaena having dragons would affect them, and we see the positive effects of having their own dragonmounts. Plus, I feel that for Aerion and Valaena to have voice in the affairs of the Westeros, they have to pull their weight. While not military commanders, they will be useful in ensuring that the stormlords remain focused on the common goal, given that they have not proven trustworthy. With dragons, it will be easy.**

**Next, we revisit the Vale. **


	49. Brandon III

**A/N: Hope you all are continuing to be safe and sound. Currently dealing with some job hunting and how things are rolling back given the rise in cases. Stressful time for all, but we can make it through. **

**As I said, I will try to update regularly as best as I can. **

BRANDON III

Brandon kept his furs close to his torso, as the chill at the top of the mountain reminded him of what it was like back in the North. But once he and his party traversed this mountain, all they would need to do was to climb down to the riverbed and follow the stream to Strongsong, seat of House Belmore.

Brandon vaguely remembered who the Belmores were and what they did when the Andals led by Artys Arryn fought them at the Battle of the Seven Stars. They tended to have red hair, atypical of most houses of First Men origin, and they fought bravely with Robar Royce until the Bronze King was killed in battle and they were forced to acknowledge House Arryn as the new King of the Mountain and Vale. Brandon couldn't tell how many men of House Belmore fought against them at Seagard, but he counted on the possibility that they didn't like their Arryn overlords and thus could be persuaded to change sides.

Of course, Brandon had to be careful on how he approached them. The Belmores were also likely to be loyal to House Arryn because they wanted to ensure stability in the Vale, and any change to that would make any lordly house anxious as to what may come next. And even though the Vale mountain clans and the Belmores were both of First Men origins, too much time had passed since they were neighbors, and they might kill the men of the mountain the moment they saw them out of prejudice. _One thing the Umbers and the Belmores might have in common, if they kill them that is._

Which brought Brandon to the Vale mountain clans. It wasn't hard to persuade the Black Ears to join him once the Moon Brothers declared their support, but he really wanted the Painted Dogs and the Burned Men to also side with them, as both held a lot of power over the rest of the clans.

The Painted Dogs killed Roland Arryn, which was quite an accomplishment since they had to maneuver their way past his knights and strike him down in the dead of winter. _If the Painted Dogs were a house in the North, they would fit in very well and might even rival us and the Boltons given enough time._

The Burned Men were going to be trickier to convince. Feared by the rest of the clans and led by war chiefs called "red hands," their customs included a very brutal coming-of-age ceremony, in which they mutilate themselves by burning off a body part of their choosing, usually a finger or nipple. The important the body part burned, the more prestige the man obtained. _What would they say if I decided to burn my cock off? It certainly is an indication of manhood, so wouldn't that defeat the purpose? _he mused.

But should Brandon succeed in persuading both the Painted Dogs and the Burned Men to join their side, having the rest of the Vale mountain clans follow would be relatively straightforward. At the same time, he couldn't just wait for their responses to the Moon Brother emissaries, since they had to continue the advance. So, Brandon had the idea of going straight to Belmore ahead of the army, which Rhaenys and Bethany and Lyanara Mormont were very against.

"You'd risk your life so willingly, Bran?" Lyanara was incredulous.

"Time is not on our side, despite the victories we were able to obtain everywhere else," they all heard about the triumph at Stonebridge and at the Slayne. "And Princess Visenya and Lord Umber need to have the pressure eased off of them, as they won't be able to hold off the Vale houses in the proper forever."

Visenya, Marlon Umber, and Maerys Tarareon all informed them that they were able to fortify their positions on the river after their own victory, but thousands of Valemen were about to converge on their position and surround them, their only lifeline being the boats that sailed to and from the Blackwater Bay and braving enemy arrows since the Vale fleet was crippled after Gulltown and there were still no Braavosi sellsword ships sighted.

"Come now, Bran," Bethany crossed her arms. "You kept repeating to us the importance of persuading as many houses of First Men origin to come join us and while we all agree that it is a sensible approach, you're not being patient."

"Bethany, we can't just demolish every house that stands against us without offering them a way out," Brandon explained. "It's clear that the main instigators of this war, the Lannisters and the Gardeners, cannot hope to maintain their crowns, their titles, and their lands when all is finished. But regarding the lesser houses, why fight them and use up more of our energy than necessary if we can save it by having them turn cloak?"

"He does have a point," Rhaenys nodded her head. "We need more men to fight alongside us and the troops we have now might be enough to hold the lines, but not enough to deliver the punch needed to finally make our enemies collapse. Remember, we have dragons, but if we use them too often, they could become a weakness. So far, we are proving ourselves on the field of battle and we must continue to do so. And winning battles is dependent on we make utilize our resources while acquiring new ones."

Brandon became more impressed with Rhaenys, as she was proving herself to be a very good strategist alongside her familiarity with tactics. "Well said, Your Grace. So, while we fight the Valemen, we have to begin the process of having them switch allegiances. And I know that some of the First Men houses have an axe to grind against the Arryns."

"But that is still quite a chance to jump at, Lord Snow," Ondrew Poole stated. "And we cannot sacrifice our pace through the mountains in order to wait for what the Belmores have to say, or we won't obtain the chance at striking the Eyrie from the north."

"Ondrew," Brandon addressed his friend. "I wouldn't be saying this if I had any intention of risking our troops for a gamble. I admit that my approaching the Belmores is exactly that, but aren't we in a gamble ourselves? All of us are risking much being in the south. If we triumph, we get everything. If we don't, we lose much of what we hold dear."

Ondrew bobbed his head, seeing Brandon's point.

"So, I trust that Sijurn and his kin will lead us through the mountains and in the valley near Strongsong?" Lord Ryswell eyed the co-chief of the Moon Brothers.

"Just follow our lead and you'll be fine," Sijurn spoke up. As practically the only representative from the Vale mountain clans, he had to be included in the war council. "But before you lowlanders proceed farther, I have just received word from our scouts around the Eyrie. Queen Sharra Arryn is about to send five thousand men northwards, probably towards Heart's Home."

Most in the tent turned their heads at that news. "Why is that?" Lord Darry asked.

"Maybe to safeguard the coasts against any more landings from our fleet," Rhaenys guessed. "Their fleet is still not in any condition to challenge us and now they've seen what happens when their coasts are exposed, since we were able to land an army in the Vale proper and beat them on their own ground. They're not going to make the same mistake twice."

Brandon saw his chance. "Which now makes my approaching Strongsong more important than ever. If we are to ensure that there is a riverbed for us to use, we either persuade the Belmores to join us, or we attack in force, but you all know of my position on the matter."

Sijurn, Rhaenys, the Mormont sisters, Ondrew, and the rest nodded their consent to the plan. Once the tent cleared, Rhaenys sat down, rubbing her ever-growing belly.

"The baby is fine, Brandon," she assured him. "Stop worrying so much."

"Oh, I trust you, Rhaenys. But can you fight still, especially since we're getting closer to the babe being born?" Brandon knew how long it took for a newborn babe to grow in a mother's womb and they were now in the advanced stages.

"It shouldn't be bad," Rhaenys answered. "I can still ride Meraxes and use my bow. But if we're talking about running around and crawling in the mud… can't help you there."

Brandon chuckled. "Don't push yourself, Rhaenys. This child," he pointed to her belly. "Will determine how the next generation will live. Of course, we'll have to do the hard work, but keeping what was won will be on this babe."

"That's certainly a lot to expect from a child who hasn't been born yet," Rhaenys expressed her concern.

"Oh, I won't burden the babe, but the expectations must be emphasized at an early age, because this land doesn't need another royal who plays all the time," he said with frankness.

"The baby won't be, as will the next ones that come. I'll make sure of it," Rhaenys promised.

"I know you won't," Brandon admitted. "I just ask that you won't be as complacent as other rulers have been in the past. We need you and the rest of the dragons with their wits sharp."

"With you by our side, I'm sure that we'll be safe, since you have can peek into the future with those green eyes of yours," Rhaenys teased.

"Not exactly a peek, just strong potentialities. I personally am the type of man that believes that while our lives are dictated by the gods, we must also put in our best efforts and not allow others to do the work for us. Torrhen is like that also, but he worries too much about the past. No wonder why he aged thirty years," Brandon jested.

"I like the sound of that," Rhaenys processed his words. "The gods not helping those who don't help themselves. That certainly is different from what I had learned, but at the same time, there's much truth in that."

"Isn't that what we should all be doing? The gods gave us certain skills, but we should use it to the best of our abilities, right?"

Rhaenys tapped on her belly. "You hear that? You have work to do, but you will play also. I'll make sure of it."

Brandon remembered his exchange with Rhaenys, after which she took off on Meraxes to scout out ahead of the army and in the areas around Heart's Home. He sensed that some uneasiness from her being there, but he trusted that she would know to be safe and not do anything rash.

Using some of the guides that Sijurn gave Brandon, he alongside Autumn trekked through the high mountains of the Vale. He had to admit that had it not been for the Moon Brothers siding with them, he would have had a difficult time navigating through the various crevices of the Vale. He had only some experience with climbing through mountains from many years ago, when his father took him to the Sea Dragon Point, but those couldn't compare with the peaks he had to negotiate at the moment.

Eventually, Brandon, the party of Mormont men and Vale mountain clansmen, and Autumn arrived at the riverbed, slowly making their way down the slope until they rested on the southern shore.

Brandon drank from the river, deeming it very fresh since they were close to the source in the mountains and as far as they knew, no towns or castles were behind them. But they had to be careful, as they were now in territory where the enemy could fight them on even ground, and their enemies knew it better than they did.

Remembering where Strongsong was located, the party ventured eastwards, following the river and being wise as to not be too close to the banks since there could be patrols of Valemen moving about. And thanks to the Vale mountain clansmen, they were able to hide in various caverns where they could build a fire without being discovered.

After a few days of just walking and hiding in between the mountains, they finally arrived at Strongsong, which they viewed from a higher point.

Situated near a series of lakes, Strongsong was placed advantageously near a good source of water and provided protection to the farmers who tilled their lands not far away. What was more, it was elevated just high enough to negate the use of ladders but low enough to the ground where one only had to walk up the ramp to get inside.

But whatever Belmore built Strongsong certainly didn't count on being struck from a higher point in the mountains, as they thought that their height from the riverbank already granted them protection. _Put some archers on this mountain and we slowly pick them off while allowing our troops to move closer and break down the gates, _Brandon thought.

However, they were not there to fight and would only do so should Lord Belmore elect to resist them.

"You men, can you cover me while I go down there? It's best if it's just me and Autumn," Brandon told the party.

"Are you sure about that, Lord Brandon?" one of the Mormont men asked with apprehension.

"I'll be fine. But if they try to do me harm, warn them with an arrow," Brandon ordered. "Do not come down until I say it's safe, understood?" They all nodded, allowing him and his direwolf to proceed towards Strongsong's causeway.

Grabbing a stick and tying a piece of white cloth to it, Brandon waved it with Autumn keeping close as they got closer to the seat of House Belmore. Eventually, the farmers who tilled the fields looked up in confusion, not expecting a northman and red direwolf to be so audacious as to approach their lord without an army behind him.

Just before Brandon stepped onto the causeway, someone shouted, "That's far enough!" He looked up and saw a line of crossbows and archers aiming at him, surprised to see one of their foes at their doorstep. "What's your business here?"

"I come here under a flag of truce, to discuss important matters with your lord, if he is here at the moment," Brandon answered.

"Identify yourself!" one of the men hollered.

"My name is Brandon Snow, Hand to King Aegon and Queen Rhaenys Targaryen, and brother of Torrhen Stark, Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North."

The crossbowmen and archers looked at each other with astonishment, clearly stumped as to why one of the most important men fighting with the dragons was there. They only knew because they had heard about the declaration from the dragons and because their lord talked to them about who were the senior commanders.

"Stay where you are, my lord. Lord Belmore will treat with you," another called out while one of the crossbowmen ran to the keep.

Soon, the gates creaked open, with a grizzled man with long red hair and a bushy red beard strolled out with an armed guard, all carrying the bells sigil of House Belmore. The red-haired men stopped in front of Brandon, failing to hide his wariness of Autumn as he never saw a direwolf before.

"Never expected the Stark bastard to be here," the red-haired man started with.

"Never expected Strongsong to be still well-guarded," Brandon noted. "I'd figured that you'd be all in the field by now, answering the call of Sharra Arryn."

"If you think that I will blindly take orders from that Reachwoman, you best think again," the red-haired man turned his head to spit on the ground.

"And who might you be?" Brandon asked.

"I am Gwayne of House Belmore, Lord of Strongsong," Lord Belmore identified himself.

"Good to make your acquaintance, my lord," Brandon eased up.

"Can't say that I say the same, Lord Snow," Lord Gwayne eyed up from down to up. "You are one of the important men fighting for the Valyrians and yet you come here with just your wolf pet and no army. I would say that you have balls coming here, but you having that can easily be seen as major stupidity on your part."

"Well, I will admit that coming here was a large gamble on my part, with Queen Rhaenys herself expressing some reservation, but I wouldn't have gotten this far if I kept my head down. And I don't think you would kill me without listening to what I have to say," Brandon showed his fearlessness to Lord Belmore.

"Why would I listen to anything that you have to say? As far as I'm concerned, you are my adversary and therefore my first action would be to kill you," Gwayne challenged.

Brandon waved his hand, with the arrow soon landing near Lord Belmore and his guards. They all looked around anxiously.

"You're incorrect in assuming that I came here alone, and without certain guarantees of my safety. There are currently a thousand men aiming down on you with their bows and one wrong move on your part will see everyone here in great danger," Brandon bluffed. "But I have no intention of harming men that have done nothing to me so far and would have more to gain by treating with me."

Lord Belmore crossed his arms, assessing his options. "You know that if you step inside this castle, your life will be in my hands and whatever men you brought with you cannot help you."

"That's what guest rights are for," Brandon pointed out. "More importantly, if you were so loyal to the Arryns, you wouldn't have spit on the ground, and you wouldn't have disparaged Queen Sharra. I'm guessing that you are not so committed to his war as other houses probably are."

Lord Gwayne sighed before signaling one of his servants to come forward, with a plate of bread and bowl of salt. "But if you say anything that would waste my time, Lord Snow, I will kick you out and the next time we meet will be on the battlefield."

Brandon dipped the bread in the salt and put it in his mouth. "Then, I do hope that you like the smell of burnt flesh and the feel of flames should you choose to fight us."

Lord Belmore's eyes shifted uncomfortably at that notion, having heard about what the dragons did so far at that point, before gesturing for Brandon to follow him into the keep.

Walking into Lord Gwayne's solar, Brandon was allowed to keep his sword and have Autumn sit beside him after both agreed not to engage in violence until at least they were done discussing what was going to be discussed.

"As I have stated before, Lord Snow, you've taken a great risk coming here without your dragon queens or any of the troops further south. That means whatever you have to say must be worth my time, or so I hope," Lord Gwayne began.

"My lord, I am confident that once I have given my proposition, you will find it in your best interest in switching sides and fighting for the ones that will triumph," Brandon answered.

"You seem very sure on how this war will end, even though the odds are still stacked against you given the disparity of numbers between us."

"I would not put my faith in strength of numbers, Lord Gwayne. Numbers didn't help countless kings and rulers, and they certainly couldn't stop Black Harren from meeting his demise at Harrenhal. And even though King Aegon and Queen Rhaenys have been outnumbered still, they are continuing to win against such odds, and they won't stop until their goal has been achieved," Brandon explained.

"I wouldn't forget that the reason why their fortunes turned was because of your northern brethren coming south to their rescue, and it still baffles me on why Torrhen Stark gave up his crown."

Brandon chuckled. "You wouldn't believe it, even if I tried to explain it to you."

"You've come to say your piece. Might as well tell me why Torrhen Stark bent the knee to the dragons, who have no history of being kings themselves," Gwayne shrugged.

"All right," Brandon decided. "I don't know how much you believe in the magical aspects of this world, but in this land, so much of the magic that existed from the time of the pact between the First Men and the children of the forest disappeared when the Andals came, slaughtered the children, cut down the weirwoods, and leaving only the north as the domain of the First Men."

"You don't need to explain history to me, Lord Snow. I still have my house's weirwood even after so much time has passed," Lord Belmore interrupted.

Brandon pressed on. "I can't see clearly on what will come in the future, but magic must be preserved and brought back to its former strength. However, the magic of the First Men and of the children of the forest is too weak and therefore needs new sources. The dragons are that source and the combination of both will lead to something stronger."

Lord Belmore looked unconvinced. "What has magic have to do with Torrhen Stark bending the knee?"

"My brother Torrhen might have been a king, but he can't unite the Seven Kingdoms. He's not the type of man that can do it, but he understands that countless others have tried to expand their realms and have failed. What makes the dragons different in their approach is that they are fighting for their survival and the only way to survive is to unite Westeros into one land. After all, the Faith and the Starry Sept have declared war on them and if the dragons lose, they won't stop."

"Let me get this right," Lord Gwayne began to process Brandon's words. "You mean to tell me that your brother, King in the North, surrendered his crown because he bet his life on the dragons uniting Westeros and out of a desire to bring back magic to this land?"

"It wasn't him who came up with that idea. I did," Brandon corrected him.

"Why would he listen to you? You might be brothers, but I wouldn't make such a major decision based on my brother's hunch."

Brandon exhaled. "Then, you don't understand what kind of bond I share with Torrhen. Despite me being a bastard, his mother Queen Gilliane of House Mormont treated me like one of her own and never made me feel any less because of how I was born. Moreover, I have something that hasn't been seen south of the Neck for two thousand years, something that has now become legend in these parts."

Lord Gwayne took a moment before figuring out what Brandon was referring to. "Are you saying that you have the greensight?"

"Very good, my lord," Brandon nodded.

The Lord of Strongsong burst in laughter, clearly disbelieving Brandon. "Surely you jest, Lord Snow. There hasn't been a greenseer for thousands of years and any chance of someone having that ability has been gone since the children were wiped out."

"Sorry to disappoint," Brandon shrugged off his lack of faith. "But if you need evidence, take a look at Autumn, my direwolf. Only those with the blood of the Warg King can hope to bond with a creature like this."

Lord Belmore glanced at Autumn before his eyes returned to Brandon. "So… this whole conquest of Westeros was started because all of you wanted to preserve magic. I'll admit, that's quite original."

Brandon crossed his arms. "You still don't believe me?"

"With respect, Lord Snow, I do not. I might be descended from the First Men and I might still pray in the godswood, but I have more faith in what I can see. Swords, armor, knights, I believe in their potential because I can see them. Coin, gold, silver, I believe in their potential because I can see them and have witnessed how they work. Grain, corn, soil, I believe in their potential because I myself have experienced how they nourish our bodies. If you wish to amuse me with stories of magic, you've chosen the wrong man, Lord Snow," Lord Belmore revealed the depths of skepticism.

Brandon narrowed his eyes, slowly understanding what had become of the First Men houses south of the Neck. With the exception of the Blackwoods, the rest would need more than his word if they wanted to have a stake in the new realm.

"Understandable," Brandon admitted. "But if you'll allow me, I have something to show you in the godswood. If you still lack the gift of belief afterwards, I will leave in peace and hope that none of us causes great injury upon each other."

Lord Gwayne sighed before gesturing to Brandon to follow him. Leaving the solar and moving their way through Strongsong, they came to the godswood and thus the weirwood.

Although smaller than the one at Winterfell, Brandon sensed that it was a healthy heart tree, with the Belmores clearly showing their faith in the old gods from how well they maintained it. Walking closer to it, he placed his hand on the white bark and closed his eyes.

_Oh, lords over our ancestors, please show Lord Belmore a token for his faith. While we must have faith in you, sometimes we need to know that you are watching us. Please reveal yourselves to Lord Belmore through me so that he may see the light_, Brandon prayed in silence.

Suddenly, he felt a jerk in his body, which happened whenever a surge occurred. His hand still on heart tree, he felt his eyes roll back as he felt another presence enter his body, the essence not his own. But in the deep, dark haziness of his mind, he saw an elderly approach him, with bleached red hair and a noticeable slump.

"They had to interrupt my slumber," the old man groaned.

"Who are you?" Brandon asked.

"Terrance Belmore, Lord of Strongsong. And they told me that I had to speak to my grandson," the old man answered.

"Your grandson is Gwayne Belmore?" Brandon inquired.

"Yes. I remember when he was still a babe, but I never saw him grow past three name-days. Anyways, I have things to do in the afterlife, so let's make this quick. Tell me my grandson to come touch the heart tree."

_For a dead man, he can be quite snippy, _Brandon observed.

"I can hear you," Lord Terrance was annoyed.

His eyes going back to normal, Brandon turned around and saw Lord Gwayne, who was perplexed as to what was going on. "My lord, please touch the heart tree."

"Why?" Lord Gwayne cocked his head at him.

"Just humor me, please. I think you'll like the touch of a weirwood this time."

With visible hesitation, Lord Gwayne walked towards the heart tree and placed his hand on the white bark. Immediately, he shuddered before his body froze in place, no doubt the effects of the connection with the old gods affecting him. _He's probably thinking he's insane for seeing his dead grandsire._

Brandon could've listened in on the conversation given his powers, but he decided to allow grandsire and grandson to have some words in private. He trusted that whatever the previous Lord of Strongsong had to say to his grandson would be enough to sway Lord Gwayne of the validity of Brandon's abilities and make his case to side with the dragons stronger.

Several minutes passed, as Lord Gwayne's body remained still. The Belmore guards looked on in bewilderment, not understanding what was going on but knowing that whatever was happening was beyond logical sense. _Some of the greatest things to happen took place outside of the realm of logic, which is something that they have to get used to._

Eventually, Lord Gwayne fell backward, the touch of the old gods finally releasing his spirit, and he came to. Standing up, he stood back up and turned to Lord Snow.

"What in the Seven Hells are you?" he pointed at Brandon.

"I am what I say I am," Brandon outstretched his arms. "As I said before, if what you've seen was not enough to convince you, then I shall leave in peace."

"I've had… the most stirring conversation with my grandsire, something that I never thought possible. Do you know what he told me?" Gwayne made clear his astonishment.

"The usual things that a lord would say?" Brandon guessed.

"He said, 'Everything that has been taken from our family can be gained back, but only after siding with the ones who can bring magic back.' For a moment, I thought I was seeing things, but then he told me how my father got his scar, which he never told anyone but myself and my mother. I never thought that this day would come."

Brandon nodded in understanding. "What will be your decision then, my lord?"

Lord Gwayne twiddled with his fingers before looking at Brandon in his eyes. "I am willing to engage in further negotiations, but whatever decision I make regarding my changing sides, I have to see whichever of your dragon queens. Since they can act on King Aegon's and Prince Jaenyx's behalf, anything they say will have sanction from House Targaryen."

"Fair enough," Brandon acquiesced. "But before we do, may I request accommodations for my men in this castle and send word to the rest of the army that will come to not attack?"

"You do that, Lord Snow," Lord Belmore consented.

Brandon walked outside of Strongsong and signaled to the rest of the Mormont men and Vale mountain clansmen that it was safe to come down. The guards were astonished that it was a small party instead of the large force Brandon talked about. Lord Gwayne could only laugh in amusement at his ruse.

"I guess having magic makes you more devious, huh?"

"Would you like another demonstration?" Brandon japed.

"Not unless you want your teeth caved in with an ale cup."

Autumn growled, making Lord Gwayne jump back in fear. "He might have something to say about that."

The guards were wary of the northerners that were being settled in the guest quarters, but they were more worried about the people they viewed as savages being allowed near their posts. Understandably, Lord Gwayne was hesitant on letting members of the Moon Brothers in, but Brandon reassured him that they were allowed in after being washed and dressed in proper clothes. The Moon Brothers grumbled, but it was a small price to pay for warm beds and hot food.

Brandon and Lord Gwayne discussed more of the terms after the Belmores switched sides, which mostly included an expansion on their land holdings and certain rights as the first house in the Vale to declare support. But Brandon had to be careful on how much he had to offer, since he needed to reserve as much as he could for the other First Men houses in the Vale, particularly the Royces at Runestone. He knew that if they switched sides, they would make a powerful ally and provide them with troops and influence needed to take the Vale and then march on the Eyrie. How they would storm the castle in the high mountains was a matter that they would deliberate in the future.

The next morning, Brandon heard dragon shrieks echoing against the mountain sides. Jumping out of bed and dressing up, he ran to the ramparts and narrowed his eyes as he scanned each side from his vantage point.

From the east, he saw the silver shape of Meraxes flying towards Strongsong, but she was staggering. _What's going on?_

Running outside of the gates with Autumn at his side, he watched as Meraxes made a rough landing on one of the fields, carving a ditch as she skidded to a stop. Looking closely, he could make out some cuts on the skin. But what caught his attention was a large pole that had pierced Meraxes' right leg, the pole resembling a crossbow bolt with its sharp point protruding through the width of the limb.

Moving to the dragon's side, Brandon saw Rhaenys struggling to keep Meraxes calm as she cried out in pain. He helped her down as she dropped her bow and quiver and placed her hands on her belly. As soon as she got down, she went for the bolt.

"We have to get this out!" she grabbed onto it, trying to pull it out herself. But her exertions caused more painful screams to come out from Meraxes' mouth.

By now, the guards of Strongsong and the people around it looked on with bewilderment, as this was the first time that they had even seen a dragon. But this was also the first time that they saw a dragon hurt, which could spell trouble should the wrong people find out.

"Rhaenys, you can't do it by yourself," Brandon moved to where she was. "It's too big."

"But she's hurt!" she cried out. "I can't bear to see her like this."

"Then help me help you," Brandon whistled to some of the Mormont men, who ran to his position. "All right, men. This is going to take some effort. The only way that we can get this thing out of the dragon's leg is to push out to the other side. It's too deep to pull it out and we cannot wound the dragon more than it already has."

"How do you know how to heal a dragon?" one of the Mormont men questioned.

"I've seen wounds like this, but with other men. We try to pull it out while it's this deep, we'll do more harm than good. Trust me," he faced Rhaenys. "I need you to calm Meraxes down and help her through it. You're her rider and therefore, she needs you."

"Okay," Rhaenys placed her hands on Meraxes' snout. "It's going to be okay. Just one moment and it'll be over." Meraxes snorted in fear, but she trusted her rider. "Do it."

"All right, men. On the count of three. One. Two. Three!"

With all of their might, Brandon and the Mormont men pushed the shaft through, causing Meraxes to bellow out. Fortunately for all, the shaft fell the ground, but now, blood poured out of her wound.

"How do you plug a dragon's wound?" one of the Mormont men asked.

"You can't," Rhaenys answered. "It has to heal by itself. Just give Meraxes some food and a wide berth, and she'll be fine."

"You heard her," Brandon ordered before the Mormont men ran off to find some animal carcasses while making space for the dragon by guarding her. "What happened?"

"I was scouting out near Heart's Home to see where the reinforcements would be coming. But when I got low, we were met by a hail of arrows. While I was trying to fly away, I felt as if something kicked Meraxes hard. I looked down and saw that spear lodged in her leg. I was able to guide us out of there and I came here, hoping that Strongsong was in our hands by now," Rhaenys explained.

"Lord Belmore needs to speak with you before he makes a decision, but that's not important," Brandon expressed worry. "How did our enemies find a way to hurt a dragon?"

"I don't know," Rhaenys was shaking in fear. "I didn't even know it was possible."

"All right. I think the first thing we need to do right now is calm down and let calmer minds deliberate on how and why this happened," Brandon took charge. "After that, we'll send a message to Princess Visenya, King Aegon, and Prince Jaenyx, warning them that the enemy might have a tool that can hurt the dragons, so they must be careful."

"And then?" Rhaenys asked with expectation.

"And then, we have to continue the march once the rest of the army comes here. We still have a war to fight."

"Well, if that's your conclusion, then I shall be in the vanguard," Rhaenys picked up her bow.

"I don't think that's a good idea. Meraxes needs to heal, you're with child, and—"

"Enough," Rhaenys cut him off. "They hurt Meraxes, and I want retribution. Just because my dragon needs some time to heal doesn't mean I'll rest. These bastards will pay."

Brandon respected Rhaenys' desire, but he knew that any action would need to wait once they had a better idea of what was going on. "I won't stop you, Rhaenys. But for now, let Meraxes rest and wait for the army to come. Then, we can think about getting payback."

Rhaenys placed her head on Meraxes' snout, whispering to her that everything will be all right. Then, she followed Brandon inside Strongsong, where she would have to rest and then have Lord Belmore declare for the dragons.

**A/N: I felt that we needed to know how Brandon was faring in the Vale. And now, he was able to get the first Vale house to switch sides. But it's not going to be that easy with each house. **

**The important point of this chapter was the weapon. Given the Ghiscari sellsword's lack of loyalty to Loren, I saw him as selling his designs to the highest bidder, one of them being Sharra Arryn. And I wanted to show the realistic effects of the scorpion, not that crap shown in Season 8 where Rhaegal was so easily taken down. At the same time, no one has ever used the weapon, so the fact that they even landed a hit was a one-in-a-million chance. That's what D&D disregarded because they wanted the dragons and add more "dramatic effect" (WTF does that accomplish other than adding forced tension?). Rant over. **

**But now, the dragons will be to careful, and it won't be the last threat against the dragons that they encounter. **


	50. Aegon X

**A/N: Hope you all are continuing to be safe and sound. Still dealing with some job hunting and how things are rolling back given the rise in cases. Stressful time for all, but we can make it through.**

**As I said, I will try to update regularly as best as I can. **

AEGON X

Aegon paced back and forth as he waited for Jaenyx to fly back from the riverlands. He said that Lord Blackwood informed that he received a "sensitive herald" which required his attention as the master of whisperers. Naturally, Jaenyx had to go there on Cloudwynd's back with haste, leaving Aegon alone to deal with the Rhaedar Tarareon, Aevor Rahitheon, Torrhen Stark, and the rest of the northern lords in the Reach.

After securing Stonebridge and constructing simple but adequate fortifications to protect their vital choke point, their next target was Longtable, seat of House Merryweather. Given their most recent loss in manpower in the last battle, everyone believed that taking the castle would quite easy to accomplish. And due to its location at the convergence of two tributaries of the Mander, control of that castle would effectively grant them control over much of the northern Reach.

Recently, Aegon, Torrhen, and the other commanders were informed of Orys' great victory over Edmund Gardener and that the stormlands can now be secured while freeing up many stormlanders to push on the offensive on the Reach. While Orys returned to Storm's End to oversee the preparations of the fleet there and thus begin the voyage around Dorne towards the shores of the southern Reach to encircle them, their father and his mother would lead the stormlanders to recapture their parts of the Dornish Marches and advance back through the Red Mountains to strike at the Reach. With their own advance from the north, the Reachmen would be hard pressed to cope with multiple attacks given their reduced manpower.

_He also said that kepa and muña are more expressive with each other because of their dragons. That's something that I'd like to see, _Aegon mused.

But Aegon was cautious to proceed forward. First, he knew that the Gardeners would also realize the fact regarding Longtable and would act accordingly to ensure that castle was properly garrisoned and reinforced. There was no way that Aegon could lead the troops to quickly seize both Longtable and Cider Hall, as the latter castle was close enough to be within easy reach of the forces of Highgarden and there must've been thousands of Gardener bannermen already there. In any campaign, whoever fought in the defensive on their home ground usually had the initial advantage, as the troops were fighting for their homes and would not budge easily.

Second, even if Orys managed to sail around Dorne and if his parents led the stormlords successfully through the Red Mountains, they still had to contend a sizable force that Mern Gardener could scrounge up the houses that had not yet committed their full strength, most notably House Hightower. And Orys would have to contend with the combined strength of House Redwyne and House Hoare, with their fleets easily outnumber Orys'. Even though the ironborn and the sailors of the Arbor might not be cooperative with each other given their histories, that didn't diminish the strength that their numbers gave. _Might need to have either myself or kepa go fly in support of him._

But most importantly, he had heard about what happened to Meraxes in the Vale. To say that it was troubling that their enemies had a means to hurt the dragons would not be an adequate way to describe it, especially since Aegon's first worry was whether Rhaenys was hurt and thus their child. Seeing the message written in her own hand assured him, but the new information made Aegon think that they had to rethink their strategy, as the Arryns were certainly not the only ones who had whatever hurt Meraxes.

Aegon and Jaenyx called Torrhen, Konno, and Aevor in private, where they revealed what had happened in the Vale. Even though Brandon and Rhaenys were able to get one house on their side without a fight, the danger posed by the weapon that harmed Meraxes was of greater precedence.

"I thought dragons are not supposed to get hurt," Torrhen was incredulous.

"They're powerful creatures, yes, but they're not indestructible, the Doom certainly being proof of that," Jaenyx said. "Like any other with flesh and blood, they can die from either natural causes or from severe wounds. It's just incredibly difficult to even injure them, as the Ghiscari and the Rhoynish learned the hard way."

"But we all agree that the enemy found a way to counter our dragons. We know that it's a weapon that can shoot bolts the size of trees and has immense power, as no projectile weapon we know of can even pierce the scales of a dragon," Aegon stated. "The questions we have to answer now are whether Loren Lannister and Mern Gardener also have those weapons, how many are there, and what are their tactics surrounding these instruments."

"Agreed," Jaenyx nodded. "As soon as Rhaenys sent the message to us, I reached out to my agents between the lines, those who can move between us and the enemy with ease. They should be able to bring back some word on what we're facing."

"That's not very comforting, Prince Jaenyx, that you know the sorts that have no clear allegiances. They can turn on us and feed us misinformation," Torrhen pointed out.

"It's a possibility," Jaenyx confessed. "But I also made sure to teach them the consequences of double-crossing me and because we have dragons, any attempt to lie to us or mislead us will be deal with accordingly."

"I'm curious, Jae," Aegon turned to his goodbrother. "What sorts of people have you been overseeing on our behalf?"

"As I said, anyone who can move between the lines with ease. That includes traders and whores, those who can get close enough to the enemy and learn things shared in confidence. I also have Ragaemor working alongside Lord Blackwood in scouting along the lines, who I then use to submit reports. If the reports and the words obtained from my agents align with each other, that's when I reveal what I have learned."

"That sounds like a very sensible method, Prince Jaenyx, but has it worked before?" Torrhen might have been King in the North and now the Warden, but he was not the type to engage in subterfuge.

"Ask Lord Konno," Jaenyx pointed to his teacher. "Whatever I learned came from him, who had decades to hone his practices."

"We… also… sent… my… men… to… scout," Konno was still learning the common tongue, but he could be understood.

"So, you see, you have nothing to worry about, regarding how I get my information. Give it time, and we'll have a clearer picture on what we're facing," Jaenyx guaranteed.

Until they had a better idea on the weapon used by their enemy, all that Aegon and the others could do was to continue the preparations against Longtable. The war would continue regardless of what setbacks occurred and this was not the first time that the dragons experienced it.

After a few days, Aegon heard Cloudwynd's roar in the distance. Scrambling out of his tent, he saw Jaenyx land his dragon near the camp while helping a woman off of her. Unexpectedly, Jaenyx was trying to calm the woman, who looked frightened. _What's going on?_

"Who is she?" Aegon asked.

"One of my agents, and someone I had used before at the Stoney Sept," Jaenyx explained.

"Why is she?" Aegon was perplexed as to what was going on.

"I think we better take this into our tent. She has information that can probably affect the outcome of the war."

Aegon looked again at the woman, who dressed similarly to the women at the brothel in Dragonstone. Uncomfortable with bringing a whore into his tent, he trusted Jaenyx's words and followed him inside.

Jaenyx sat the whore down, whereas he and Aegon sat across her. Upon closely seeing Aegon's crown, she stood up to curtsey, but Jaenyx gestured for her to retake her seat.

"Your Grace," the woman gulped.

"Who are you?" Aegon crossed his arms.

"Sabitha, Your Grace. I work at the Peach in the Stoney Sept," the woman answered.

_Why does that sound familiar? _"How do you know my brother, Prince Jaenyx?"

"He and Queen Rhaenys hired me to arrange a meeting with Broden Tully when they first came to our town."

Aegon was caught off-guard. "Broden Tully? That was you?" The woman nodded, causing him to look at Jaenyx.

"She's been pretty useful to us so far. It's mostly because of her that we still have eyes in the riverlands south of Riverrun," Jaenyx explained.

"What was so important about her that you needed to bring a whore all the way out here, in the Reach?" Aegon was trying hard not to be skeptical, but not because of anything that Jaenyx did.

"Your Grace, I had to brave thousands of enemy troops and soldiers from your side in order to bring what I had to you. It took much effort on my part to persuade Lord Colren to inform Prince Jaenyx. I will accept it if you don't deem my sacrifices as worthy enough of merit, but I beseech you to hear me out," Sabitha answered.

Aegon was a bit baffled on how she responded, as he didn't mean to imply any prejudice against her. "No, no. Please don't misunderstand me. It's just that the riverlands have been relatively quiet compared to her and in the Vale, given that the enemy shifted their focus elsewhere."

"Egg, this information is time-sensitive. Perhaps it'll be best of us all to hear what Sabitha has to say?" Jaenyx posed. Aegon exhaled before bobbing his head. "All right. Tell him what you've told me."

"It was just another day of business. I was seeing to many regulars and they all told me what was happening throughout these lands. They say that the dragons are winning every battle and their greatest desire is to go home and tend to their fields because they've been fighting longer than they had wished," Sabitha began.

_Morale is slipping, _Aegon noted. "Aren't the troops committed to the Faith's war against us, the Valyrians?"

"Many follow the Seven and the septs in their armies are trying to encourage to stay the course, to act as the Father, the Warrior, and the Smith would in these times."

Aegon groaned as he rubbed his face. "And?"

"After the day's work was completed, I wrote down what I had learned and went to where I would bury the parchment in the ground for Lord Tarareon to pick up and send to Prince Jaenyx. However, after I buried it, I was grabbed by men wearing the red lion."

_Red lion… the Reynes? _Aegon's jaw dropped as he turned to Jaenyx, who wasn't as worried. "Keep going," his goodbrother urged.

"They took me to a tent near Riverrun and sat me across Lord Weslar Reyne. He told me that he had studied about how Lord Tully and Lord Blackwood met Prince Jaenyx and Queen Rhaenys at the Stoney Sept and had men relax at the Peach because he knew where Broden Tully was ensnared."

_Jaenyx would not be this calm, unless there is more to this than I am thinking of._

"Of course, I was afraid that he was going to kill me or worse. But he just poured some wine and fed me some meat and said that he needed me to send a message."

"What kind of message?" Aegon was caught off-guard.

"He said, 'If you want a way to win this war, I need to speak to Prince Jaenyx and King Aegon at the Blackwater Rush in person. They should not bring any of their guards or their troops and I shall not bring any of my own, for the fewer people that know of this, the higher the chances that our exchange can be kept a secret.'"

_That is very interesting_. Aegon knew that House Reyne was the most powerful house sworn to the King of the Rock, with much of their wealth and power derived from similar sources as the Lannisters. Even though they were at odds with each other ever since a Lannister became a king, to trust Weslar Reyne based on his message as relayed by Sabitha would've been foolhardy.

"Did you give you any reasons why he wanted you to say this to us?"

"I don't know, Your Grace, but he gave me that look, the kind of look that usually came whenever someone insulted one's family. Whatever his reasons for sending me here, something must've happened between him and King Loren," Sabitha shrugged.

"You're pretty perceptive, for someone who works in a brothel," Aegon noted.

"One of the benefits of relieving the stresses of men is that I become privy to their secrets, and I learned that secrets can be quite valuable under certain conditions," Sabitha said.

"Spoken like a true lady," Jaenyx nodded. "You must be congratulated for bringing this message to us. Find the attendant and tell him that you are to be fed and quartered tonight."

"Thank you, Your Grace," Sabitha curtsied to them both before one of the guards led her away.

As for Aegon, he was left to question his goodbrother on what had just occurred. "She's pretty good, has a good understanding of others. How are you compensating her?"

"I told her that once this war is over, I will find her a good husband and arrange for the two of them to have some land," Jaenyx replied. "Seems only fair."

"I support that," Aegon assented. "But do you trust Sabitha's words regarding Lord Reyne?"

"She certainly hasn't done anything to prove my trust in her wrong, although I understand the hesitation," Jaenyx rose from his seat. "Why would Loren Lannister's most powerful bannerman risk so much as to speak with us? He might have demonstrated some curious behavior when we first saw him, but that served as no indication for this."

"At the same time, there would be no harm in checking it out. Any ambush or other attempt to trap us can be met with dragons," Aegon finished. _Looks like he's already made up his mind._

"Egg, we might be winning battles, but as we both know, that's not enough to win a war. And the longer we fight, the more exhausted we become and the further we stray away from our goals. If there is a chance to accelerate an end to this war even by a little bit, it's worth a try."

But Aegon saw something else besides rationality. Looking closer in his eyes, he saw the dark circles that came with him from Dragonstone, a clear sign of his fatigue. _Jae is going to be a father and he's been fighting his whole life. He might be good at fighting, but he doesn't want to keep doing it._

Aegon had to admit that he was feeling tired also. They had been fighting nonstop for nearly a year and the weight of the responsibilities of being king and a commander in the field were starting to become heavy for him. Like Jaenyx, all he wanted to do was rest and spend some time with Rhaenys and their coming babe.

However, Jaenyx had been fighting for as long as he could remember, and he could only endure conflict for so long before the limits were reached. And just like what Jaenyx did for him, Aegon decided to reassure him by placing his hand on his shoulder.

"You all right?"

"I'm fine," Jaenyx shrugged, but saw that there was no lying to his goodbrother. "I'm just tired, Egg."

"I know. So am I. But we still got things to do, and I guess we have to fly out to the Blackwater Rush. We might have to ask Lord Konno and Torrhen to watch over the camp until we come back," Aegon decided to go along with Jaenyx's suggestion.

"You will trust Lord Reyne to not kill you?"

"I'm not trusting him, Jae. I'm trusting you, since you would never do something like this without good reason. And that's what we should be doing for each other," Aegon patted his shoulder.

Jaenyx smiled, grateful for Aegon's words, and hugged him. "Thank you, Egg."

"Not at all," Aegon returned the embrace.

Later that night, Aegon and Jaenyx flew off on their dragons, promising to Konno and Torrhen that they would back within two days maximum. From their encampment just south of Stonebridge, it didn't take long for the two riders to reach the southern banks of the Blackwater Rush, near the place where they broke the strength of the ironborn before burning Harrenhal. It was the first time that Aegon had fought alongside Jaenyx in a pitched battle and showed him just how capable his goodbrother really was.

The lands south of the Gods Eye was technically still under their control, but ever since Raventree Hall was retaken, all of the lands south of Riverrun were in flux. However, the two riders had nothing to worry about since they were protected by both Balerion and Cloudwynd, and they could rely on each other to fight their way out should things go bad.

Unexpectedly, the two noticed a smoke plume rising from the flat banks of the Blackwater Rush next to the Gods Eye. Circling closer, they saw the sigil of the red lion, with only three men there. Aegon narrowed his eyes to get a clearer view and saw the familiar red-bearded figure of Weslar Reyne, who hadn't changed much since their last meeting near Harrenhal. _What's going on over here?_

Aegon was perplexed as to why Weslar Reyne chose this particular sight, as there was little tree cover. He thought that maybe Lord Reyne wanted to meet there because he wanted to reassure the dragons that they were not walking into an ambush, as they could the land for miles around. But whatever brought him there, Aegon and Jaenyx had to hear him out or they would have otherwise wasted their time flying there.

Sliding off from Balerion and Cloudwynd, Aegon and Jaenyx strode toward Weslar Reyne and his two guards. What surprised Aegon was that Lord Reyne was not wearing his armor and his sword was stuck in the dirt. _He certainly not leaving much to doubt regarding his intentions._

"Thank you for coming," Weslar Reyne dipped his head. "I hope that I gave you both enough assurances that there are no underplays happening."

"You've got some explaining to do before we proceed," Jaenyx went straight to the point. "Why did you contact us?"

"Ah," Weslar nodded in understanding. "Sabitha told me that you were blunt and that no nonsense can get past you. I respect that. Still don't trust me?"

"Why would he?" Aegon kept his hand on Blackfyre's pommel. "As far as we're concerned, you're one of our enemy's senior commanders."

Weslar Reyne laughed. "If you really think that my position with Loren Lannister is enough to protect me and my family from consequences, you're mistaken."

"Why are you here then?" Jaenyx asked.

Weslar swallowed as he gathered his thoughts. "I should probably place some blame on you, Prince Jaenyx, since you're the one that got my family here, but I know that it would be misplaced."

"I know about your son, Bailen Reyne," Jaenyx eased a little bit.

"The first thing that Loren did was to lock up my son in the darkest cell of Casterly Rock, as if he were a common criminal. He was only doing his duty and he did the best he could with the situation he was given. How would anyone expect a daring raid on Casterly Rock to even have a chance of success, especially with the men you had under your command? One of them killed thirty men before dying," Lord Reyne outlined, but his anger against King Loren showed.

"You mean Arata Haru?" Jaenyx was briefly saddened at the loss of his friend.

"If that is his name. Anyways, a raid on Casterly Rock had never been done before, so if there was to someone to blame, it would be Loren since that was his home. But he found a convenient excuse in my son and only after I threatened him did he move Bailen to more suitable accommodations," Lord Reyne continued.

"Sounds like everything worked out for you," Aegon observed.

"What Loren did was just the latest of many incidents between us, all of which played into his wariness towards me. It's only natural for there be tensions between a king and his most powerful bannerman, but I have rivalries with House Westerling and he was all too willing to support them at the expense of my own lands and people," Lord Reyne explained.

"That's not that different from anything that occurred in normal times. My goodfather Lord Aerion had his own problems to deal with while he was Lord of Dragonstone," Jaenyx pointed out.

"But this is war, Prince Jaenyx, and battle has a tendency to cause existing tensions to flare up beyond what would have been acceptable. He used my son's failure as an excuse to risk my men in the Blackwater Bay, where they saw Gawen Gardener fall." _Orys did that, _Aegon thought proudly. "And now, he's asking me to hand over more control over my men because he partly blames my captains for Gawen's death."

"That… doesn't sound like the rational man that Loren Lannister was like when we first saw him," Aegon showed his surprise.

"Loren might be a cerebral man, but he's not without his flaws. He likes to play with people's minds too much and he has a… repressed bloodthirst. I once saw him stab a man through the heart because he robbed him, but he kept stabbing him until the blood was spread all over his face," Lord Reyne responded.

"You seem to know him pretty well for a bannerman," Aegon still kept ready in case things went wrong.

"I fostered at Casterly Rock in my younger years, so I have a pretty good understanding of what kind of a man he is."

"Back to why you wanted to talk to us," Jaenyx brought the conversation back on topic.

"Right. So, I recently got word that Loren will put me in charge as Warden of the Eastern Marches, essentially the lands we occupy including Riverrun, meaning that the defense of those lands will be my responsibility. At the same time, he's also expecting me to lead the efforts to retake the riverlands."

"Seems to me that Loren is giving you some key responsibilities, meaning that he at least trusts on some level," Aegon argued.

"Taking the riverlands, with the resources that he gave me? It's an impossible task," Weslar revealed. "There are only eight thousand men under my command, and the only reason why we weren't ejected entirely was because you didn't take Riverrun. There are two reasons why he would put me in that position. First, he expects me to fail and thus giving him more reason to take away more of my authority. Second, and most importantly, we all know that the fighting has shifted to the Reach and to the Vale, with the riverlands mostly quiet. He's keeping me away from the action and thus from all important decision-making. Meanwhile, all of my men will be under his control."

Aegon slowly began to understand. Weslar Reyne never had a good relationship with his king to begin with, but the war only worsened it and now the Lord of Castamere was put in a position that would end in failure either way. _He's afraid that if he fails again, Loren will have a good excuse to finally move on Castamere and thus extinguish his family._

"What do you expect us to do about it? As we said before, you're the enemy," Jaenyx reminded him.

"Not unless I offered you something that can help you recover from your most recent setback in the Vale. I hear that your wife's dragon was injured by a bolt the size of a tree?"

Aegon and Jaenyx now paid close attention. "How would you know that?"

Lord Reyne reached into his shirt and pulled out a scroll. "Loren hired a Ghiscari sellsword, loaned to him by the Iron Bank of Braavos, to advise him on how to counter dragons. What I have in my hand is the result of his consultation, which I will happily hand over provided certain conditions be met."

_Of course. _"All right. What do you want?"

"First, I want a guarantee that my family will be safe from harm and that my actions against you and your family must be judged as acts of coercion by Loren. I'm doing this to protect myself and my own family from retribution," Lord Reyne began with.

"And your second demand?" Jaenyx inquired.

"That you will inform Lord Blackwood of my current position but keep it secret, since he needs to understand that I have no intention of fighting him further."

"I can arrange that," Jaenyx nodded.

"Your third?" Aegon pressed.

"You appointed Lord Blackwood as the Lord Paramount of the Riverlands for his loyalty, and Torrhen Stark as Lord Paramount and Warden of the North for supporting you. To further protect my family, I must have lordship over Loren's kingdom and also take revenge on the slights thrown by House Lannister."

"There are two problems with that. First, you're an enemy commander and my own bannermen might not be pleased that one of their foes was rewarded so richly. Second, even if we did agree to it, you will not have a secure power base," Aegon described.

"Allow me to deal with those two concerns on my own. I just require, at this moment, your agreement," Lord Reyne looked at them with some expectation.

"That will depend on what you have to offer us right now," Jaenyx said.

Lord Reyne sighed before handing over the scroll. Aegon grabbed it and unrolled it, his eyes widening as he and Jaenyx looked at it closely. Before them was a design of a large crossbow capable of hurling a pike-like bolt over a large distance.

"What is this?" Aegon asked.

"It's called a scorpion. It's the weapon that hurt your dragon in the Vale and the one that's currently being supplied to Loren's and Mern's forces after its success in the Vale."

"How many?" Jaenyx asked.

"At this point, only ten. But there might be more in the making."

Aegon looked over the scorpion's design a few more times. Although the concept was simple, it certainly proved effective against Meraxes.

"Will this be enough?"

"Any more demands?" Jaenyx looked back at the Lord of Castamere.

"One final one. A position on your small council when all is said and done," Lord Reyne finished.

"Your third and last demands will depend on a few things. You've given us a great gift in these designs, but you will need to do more if you want to rise that far among us," Aegon stated.

"Such as?" Lord Reyne was not pleased, but he was in no position to argue.

"We'd advise you to accept Loren's appointment, as that would put you close enough to the parts of the riverlands under your control. Once there, we'll find a way to communicate with you in secret and give you instructions. You follow those instructions, do what we require of you, and your request for the higher lordship will be considered," Jaenyx told him. "You will also need to sabotage Loren's defenses at Riverrun and in the riverlands under his control, since we will come to take them eventually. Lastly, we need to know how much men Loren has under his control still, since they can surely plug in the losses the Gardeners suffered."

"I have no problem to meeting those conditions," Lord Reyne agreed.

"Then, we suggest that you go back to wherever you were in the riverlands and await our first message. But remember this. Double-cross us or try to betray us, we will reveal to Loren of what you did and I'm sure that he will have no problem in killing you. One less problematic house to deal with in that instance," Jaenyx warned him.

"Believe me, Prince Jaenyx. If I had any intention of betraying, I would not have put myself and myself in so much risk," Lord Reyne defended himself.

"We'll see about that," Aegon said before he and Jaenyx went back on their dragons and flew back to the Reach, leaving Lord Reyne and his guards to wonder what would await them.

As for Aegon and Jaenyx, they were back at Stonebridge by nightfall and resumed business in their tent. "We have the designs of the weapon, but we have no way of knowing how they might utilize it against us the next time," Jaenyx stated.

"Still, this is one of the most valuable things that we have right now," Aegon recapped. "We now have knowledge of how the enemy plans to counter our dragons. All that is left to do now is to direct Lord Reyne. How he acts will determine what he gets from us."

"He might love his family, but we cannot deny that he's an overreaching bastard," Jaenyx scoffed. "Still, he might prove useful to us in winning this war. After all, it's not every day that a senior enemy commander offers to work for us."

"We'll have to use him wisely, as his position calls for us to re-strategize. We also have to tell Rhae, Vis, Orys, kepa, and muña of what happened with Lord Reyne."

"We use him in the right place at the right time, we'll be able to knock one kingdom out of the war and finally have revenge on Loren," Jaenyx grinned at that prospect.

"Only issue is," Aegon looked at the maps that detailed their current situation. "Given his current location, where and how could he make the most impact towards our victory?"

**A/N: Here, we have the first major defection from the Faith's alliance. For those that picked it up, congratulations. I always intended for the Reynes to switch sides and now they're able to avoid being wiped out 300 years early XD **

**At the same time, Lord Weslar Reyne might have helped the dragons, but he's openly self-serving despite his concerns for his family. Then again, the division between self-interests and family can be blurred at times, which is definitely the case for the Reynes in this story. **

**With that happening, all that is left to do is for Lord Weslar to make his own impact on the war on behalf of the Valyrians. **

**Next, we revisit the Vale as they deal with the after-effects of Meraxes' wounds.**


	51. Visenya X

**A/N: Hope you guys are feeling safe and healthy still. My home is still under quarantine, but sacrifices have to made for the greater good, which is the health of the general public. This will not last forever, so please do what you can to not feel so affected. **

VISENYA X

Visenya slid off of Vhagar, but immediately put her hands on her belly to make sure that her child was all right. Her pregnancy was very obvious to all, as her tummy had protruded against her dragon coat, and she started to feel more movement from her babe. It was a sign of her babe becoming more active, and a sign of what kind of child he or she will be. _I don't know about Jae, but I was pretty rambunctious as a girl. Muña and kepa might have had some struggle with keeping in control, but I look forward to running around with our son or daughter._

Almost immediately as she got off of Vhagar, she was met with Lord Marlon Umber. "Your Grace," he dipped his head.

"Lord Marlon, what progress have we on the siege?"

"So far, every route has been sealed off. There is no way that the Waynwoods can get reinforced now," Lord Umber walked with her.

"And the lake?" She remembered that Ironoaks was situated on a lack near the Eyrie and could thus be resupplied by boat.

"Maerys Tarareon was able to construct a few small but fast craft from the surplus wood that we were able to gather. That woman has an unbelievable gift when it comes to anything that can float on water," Umber was impressed.

_Where was Maerys all my life? _Visenya was also in awe of her skills as a sailor and shipwright. As much as she liked cousin Daemon, there were a few things where House Velaryon had found their match. _If only she could ride a dragon…_

"But?" Visenya sensed there was more.

"Your Grace, we have no way of knowing how much provisions they have in store and exactly how many men they have to garrison their castle."

"That's all right. With Maerys taking away any chance of resupply from the lake and us surrounding it, we have the advantage. More importantly, they still have yet to recover from their recent losses and Ironoaks was built on flat ground. Given time, we might be able to storm it," Visenya brushed off Lord Umber's concerns.

"If we storm it, Your Grace, we might suffer losses, losses that we can't afford to have until the rest of the army makes it through the mountains. And should our only way of resupply from the river is cut off, we might be in danger," Umber softly warned her.

"I'm sorry, Lord Marlon, but is this attitude that you have when you fought in the North?" Visenya turned to him. "This caution… is quite uncharacteristic for a house of your reputation."

"I might enjoy combat as the next man, Your Grace, but we don't have the advantage of numbers. These are not wildlings that we're fighting, but men who wear plate armor, are well-armed, and fighting for their homes. As someone who had to defend his keep against the wildlings, I know what kind of thinking that these Valemen have. We're the invaders and they're not going to stop attacking us until we're out," Marlon Umber explained.

Visenya nodded. "You have made good points, Lord Umber. But those concerns would only be valid if we intended to go straight for the Eyrie. That's not our purpose, for ours is to draw out as many of the enemy from their keeps so that we can fight in open battle and on ground of our choosing. So far, that's working."

Lord Umber exhaled. "I pray to the old gods that Queen Rhaenys hurries up with Lord Snow and the Mormont ladies, because we do need them now. And that her dragon recovers."

That was one of the fears Visenya had when she flew against Old Anchor. Originally, her plan was to fly Vhagar towards the seat of House Melcolm and burn all of the farms that surrounded the castle, which would force to march out for lack of food and keep the Valemen off balance since there really was no way to expect a dragon strike. But when word reached her that the enemy was able to procure a new weapon that could hurt a dragon, she began to worry very much. She was relieved that Rhaenys was unhurt, but Meraxes would need some time before her leg would heal.

Thankfully, she encountered no scorpion bolts at Old Anchor and was able to accomplish her objective. _I guess those weapons would only be used in important places such as the Eyrie. We might need to rethink how we're going to take it._

Part of the new plan, which also mixed in her need for retribution with what happened to Meraxes and Rhaenys, was to become more aggressive. Procuring some horses from the parts of the Vale proper closest to their encampment, she sent out mounted parties to forage food, burn what they couldn't carry, and put pressure on the Vale knights by making them continue to fight without rest. Tired soldiers were less effective in battle and the effects of constant combat would gradually wear them down. Maerys' men and others rode out on horseback and did their duties, with their raids proving very successful.

If Visenya had to be honest, she also felt fatigue. Apart from the baby, she and her family had been in constant combat for several weeks straight, apart from the period of six moons that they spent resting and recuperating. She was also getting impatient from all of the fighting, but she knew that compared to what was at stake, it was an inconvenience. _Anything for my family, and my future children._

Also, she wanted to return to Jaenyx's arms again, to feel his touch, to kiss his lips, and have his warmth in bed. _When I see him again, I'm not going to wait. I will fuck his brains out before he thinks that also._

Settling back in her tent, she unbuckled Dark Sister and fell on her bed. She knew that she had matters to attend to, but she needed some respite. _I just need a few hours. I love the babe, but he or she is draining all of the energy from me._

Before she could close her eyes, someone threw upon the flaps of her tent. "What is it?" she groaned, not happy that somebody had to gall to interrupt her beauty sleep.

"Your Grace," she heard Maerys Tarareon speak in High Valyrian. "One of our patrols came back, with prisoners."

"Have them work on the fortifications," Visenya wanted to go back to sleep.

"Please come with me. You'll know why I talked to you about the prisoners we got," Maerys urged.

"Duty calls," Visenya grunted. Tying Dark Sister to her waist again, she followed Maerys Tarareon near the edge of the camp. Going past the circle of her troops, she looked upon two young men in plate armor, one with the sigil of House Redfort and the other with the rune sigil of House Royce.

"Who are they?" Visenya asked Maerys in High Valyrian.

"Your Grace, may I present Eon Redfort, heir to the Redfort, and Mychel Royce, heir to Runestone," Maerys pointed to both of them.

Visenya's eyes widened. "Where did you find them?"

"One of our patrols engaged with a party that had thirty men. They were able to kill most of them and got some prisoners, including these two. How they were there in the first place is another matter," Maerys answered.

"I see. Tell whoever led that patrol that I shall reward them for such a feat. This may help us win here in the Vale." Maerys nodded while Visenya approached the theirs. "My lords, welcome to our camp."

"You must be Visenya Targaryen" Eon Redfort said.

"That is Princess to you, boy. Address her as 'Your Grace,'" Lord Umber barked.

"With respect, we don't know anyone with royal titles besides the ones that reside in the Eyrie," Mychel Royce answered while shooting a scolding look to Eon Redfort.

"That's fair, but you should understand that you are not on the right side of this war, Lord Mychel. Lord Belmore saw reason and thus, he suffered no losses," Visenya argued.

"If you win this war, I expect Lord Belmore to be richly rewarded. If you lose, then things will turn for the worse for Strongsong," Mychel Royce replied.

"Another good point. But we can discuss that later. As the heirs to two major houses, you will be treated with honor and respect. I invite the both of you to stay in our camp, where you will have appropriate accommodations. But I must ask you both to surrender your swords," Visenya pointed to the ground.

"Aye," Mychel Royce nodded to Eon Redfort, who both stuck their swords straight into the dirt.

Before they were taken to their own tents, both of which would be placed under heavy guard, Visenya took them to her own tent and poured them some wine. "I recently developed a liking to Lys white. You may not be used to it as Arbor gold or Dornish red, but it is quite… elegant, to say the least."

Mychel Royce and Eon Redfort courteously drank the wine, but they were nervous in her presence since it was clear that the both of them knew of her reputation. _Good, as it should be._

"May I ask what is to be done with us? Will you hurt us with fire like you've done with Black Harren?" Eon Redfort asked.

Visenya laughed. "I can understand why you would think so. Anyone who bears arms against us will know what it is to be burned by dragons. But you forget a key fact. Black Harren couldn't control his son, Darvin Hoare, and he did nothing but support his son by sending armies against us. And my family knew that to keep him and his house alive was too dangerous, so we burned him, most of his house, and Harrenhal. Whereas you two are only following orders and no one can blame you for the faults of your queen regent, so I have no reason to kill you."

"But that's not all, is it?" Mychel Royce added his own question.

"No," Visenya nodded. "You are more useful alive, Lord Mychel. But you and Lord Eon will not be ransomed back to your families. Too much is at stake for my family to allow valuable prisoners to rejoin the fight against us."

"Then, what will you do?" Mychel inquired.

"Both Houses Redfort and Royce command a significant part of the Vale's strength. Especially for you, Lord Mychel. It can be said that without the support of your lord father, Sharra Arryn will be in a very tight bind regarding manpower and martial abilities." Mychel Royce remained silent. "Since the both of you carry the future of your houses on your shoulders, both of your lord fathers wouldn't risk their troops against me since you will be at risk."

"Do you really think that our fathers will open dialogues with you because you have us?" Eon Redfort put his wineglass down.

"Maybe not," Visenya admitted. "But the mere fact that you both are now under my control will make them more… controlled in their actions. At this point, men are valuable commodities and it wouldn't do me or my family any good if your fathers used all they had against me."

"Why are you telling us this?" Mychel Royce crossed his arms.

"Because… I don't believe that the both of you have any strong convictions when it came to Sharra Arryn's actions. She is not from the Vale, and yet she made decisions on the behalf of her son, King Ronnel. You must've felt that you were bound to follow the orders of an Arryn, even one that had to marry into it, despite your strong reservations," Visenya assessed.

"What makes you think that?" Mychel Royce blinked.

"Loyalty is a valued trait and something that needs to be seen more often, as I sometimes grow tired of how flexible people's beliefs can be," Visenya stated. "But in this case… wouldn't you say that Sharra Arryn went beyond her authority? War is not something to take lightly, and she contributed troops to the Starry Sept's call while neglecting her main obligation in ensuring that there is a kingdom for her son to inherit. And I'll tell you that she is not doing a good job of that, because we are here and we're doing damage on your armies and your lands."

"If you are going to offer us a chance to switch sides and fight for you, then please stop," Eon Redfort interrupted.

"Eon, please," Mychel pleaded.

"No, Mychel. I know what she's doing." The heir to the Redfort looked at Visenya straight in her eyes. "I will admit, we are not strong supporters of Queen Sharra. She might have given us a line in which to continue House Arryn's rule of the Vale, but she has a tendency to act on our behalf when she doesn't have the opinion of many of the other lords. However, we're not turncoats and to even think that would be against the vows we took as knights. Whereas you and your family seek to end chivalry and destroy everything that we hold dear. So, how can we ever contemplate fighting for you?"

Visenya sighed, somehow expecting at least one of the Valemen to show stubbornness. "First of all, Lord Eon, don't interrupt me again. That's very discourteous and allows misunderstandings to form. I would think that a knight like yourself would have a good understanding of respect." Eon shifted, not expecting Visenya to come back with that. "I never asked you to switch sides, but not for the reasons that you assume. Even though you're the heirs, you're quite frankly not important enough for me to deal with on important matters. Instead, I need you both to write messages to your fathers and telling them that I wish to parley. I made a promise to treat you both well and I shall keep it, which is a fact that I wish to be emphasized when you write to them."

"Why would they agree to talk with you? You are Visenya Targaryen Belaerys, the she-dragon and the wife of Jaenyx Belaerys," Mychel Royce pointed out.

"For the same reasons that I have stated to you just before." _They haven't been paying attention. _"Unlike yourselves, your fathers have something that I truly need and will be in a position to give them. Me giving you the treatment that is due to people of your rank and station is how I show them that I can be reasoned with. Which brings me to my next contention, Lord Eon." Visenya gave him a cold stare. "Now, I can't tell whether you truly believe what the Starry Sept has to say about us or if you have interests that rely on the elimination of the dragons. But you're wrong to think that I want to end everything that you hold dear. Even though I have much affinity for the ways of Old Valyria and still worship the Valyrian deities, I was born in Westeros and it is my home as much as it is yours. Everything that I understand of life and of power is from what I had witnessed during my twenty years here, and I do respect those who follow chivalry since it prevents certain men from becoming aimless."

Visenya saw that Mychel and Eon were listening closely. _Keep going, Visenya._

"At the same time, you have to also believe that Westeros is in need for major change. The Seven Kingdoms constant warring with each other is unsustainable because people deeply desire peace, because war firstly affects those who don't have power. With one king and one queen over all of Westeros, there won't be any need for the violent squabbles between different rulers," Visenya continued. "There's also much potential in Westeros to advance further, but with the current structures in place, knowledge that can be used to better our peoples are condemned as heretical and thus suppressed. There is just too much stagnation and that has to end."

"And you believe that your family will bring about that change?" Eon was more skeptical than Mychel, who just continued to listen. _Interesting…_

"The forging of Valyrian steel, a secret that had been lost to the larger world after the Doom, had been brought back because of us," Visenya leaned forward. "We were able to turn a volcanic island into good farmland because of techniques lost to time. We were able to defeat armies larger than our own using a combination of dragons and strategies that most of Westeros had never seen before. I could go on listing what other achievements myself and my family have accomplished, but that would become repetitive. The point is that we already changed how we lived radically, and what we have to offer to Westeros can help improve the lives of many. But to say that we want to destroy everything is a lie said by those who fear us and cannot comprehend our talents."

"You speak very highly of yourself," Eon noted.

"Only because it's true. My sister, Queen Rhaenys, is a better talker than I am, but only because she's not as inclined to making other sorts of promises that involve hurting others," Visenya answered.

"And by hurting, you mean by fire?" Mychel already knew the answer, but he wanted to continue to engage with Visenya.

"Ask Black Harren. Ask the men who fought for King Argilac. Ask the others who died for the Starry Sept," she shrugged.

"But what if I was to say that we have a means to counter your dragons, something that already injured your sister's mount?" Eon posed.

"By countering, you mean kill. And in that regard, your weapon failed. And I have to wonder if that was a lucky shot, as it's quite hard to even score a hit with a weapon of large size?" Visenya asked back.

"Why would you think it's a lucky shot?"

"For the same reasons that it's hard to hit your target with a catapult and trebuchet, since there is no guarantee that it will end up where you want to hit," Visenya pointed out. "And I can tell that your weapon was used out of desperation, which doesn't exactly reflect positively on its reputation because new weapons rushed into battle don't work towards its intended purpose with consistence."

Eon and Mychel glanced at each other, which was all Visenya needed.

"So, you see, my lords, you really don't have anything that can work against us, but I will admit that the introduction of your new weapon has given us more strategy to stay with our present strategy," Visenya finished.

"If that is the case, why haven't you flown to the Eyrie? With your dragon, you can burn our king and Queen Sharra to ashes without much of a struggle," Mychel asked.

"Because we want to show you all the power of the dragons, but also giving you plenty of opportunities to join us. If we wanted to, we would have burned everyone that opposed us and also give credence that the dragons are beasts. And because I even stooped to talk to you both, that should be proof of our intentions. If not, I really do hope that you depart painlessly," Visenya gave them both a soft warning, which even they quickly understood.

* * *

Visenya had prepared for the entourage from Runestone to arrive at her camp. After dispatching Maerys' men to sail to the seat of House Royce and bring back Lord Royce once he responded to the message written in his son's hand, she made all the necessary preparations.

The most sensible thing in this situation would have been to fly directly to Runestone and engage with Lord Royce there. However, she needed to be present for the rest of the Ironoaks siege and direct all efforts to either have Lord Waynwood surrender or take the castle by assault. What's more, to have the head of House Royce come to her camp in full sight of the Waynwoods will cause them to ask questions and if possible, spread doubt. She had deployed Tarareon archers to kill any ravens that might be sent to and from Ironoaks, so whatever concerns that Lord Royce had in being discovered would be put to rest.

However, Visenya was not naïve to believe that the simple treatment of Mychel Royce would be enough to persuade the Lord of Runestone to at least consider joining her. Jaenyx had informed her that Weslar Reyne had switched to their side in secret, but he had asked a hefty price to be paid in return for his loyalty. She was concerned that Lord Royce might ask for a similar deal because it was probably the only logical term that he would ask but would put her in a bind. _Even if he does support us, I can't just promise that we will make him lord over all of the Vale, if he asks that._

"Your Grace, ship sighted! It has the horseman sigil of the Tarareons!" one of her troops called out.

_They're back. _Visenya stood straighter as Lord Umber, the Celtigars, and the others awaited their guest.

She watched as a grizzled man stepped off the plank and walked towards her. He was dressed in plate armor underneath a linen cloak, both of them inscribed with First Men runes. _Well, the Royces practice what they preach_.

The man stopped in front of Visenya, eyeing her up and down. Only now did she notice how tall he was, but size did not matter as she learned.

"You must be Visenya Targaryen Belaerys," the man began.

"And who might you be?" Visenya asked.

"I am Symond Royce, Lord of Runestone and head of my house. Where is my son?"

"I will bring you to him, my lord. But do not forget to address with me with respect. You might be older than me, but age is no indication of either wisdom or strength. You only have to ask Black Harren that, a wretched old man to the end," Visenya made clear to him.

"With respect, Princess, I cannot refer to you as 'Your Grace' because I am not bound to you by oath. I want to see my son. Only afterwards could we begin our dialogue."

"Didn't know Royces could so insolent," Lord Marlon blurted out.

"Which doesn't say much about you, Lord Umber. I wonder if you extend the same courtesy to those poor wildlings near the Wall."

Lord Umber scoffed, but Visenya put a stop to it. "My lords, we are not here to trade insults. Very well, I'll take you to Lord Mychel. If you will follow me."

Walking through the camp, Visenya led him to Mychel's tent. Upon seeing his son alive and unspoiled, Symond Royce embraced his son warmly. They asked each other the questions that would usually be asked between family, whether it be health or other normal topics. It took a moment before they remembered where they were, and Lord Symond turned back to Visenya.

"I must thank you, Princess, for taking care of my son. Family is a very precious thing and it would have pained my heart had he been harmed," Symond said to her.

"I completely agree with, Lord Symond. I myself will become a mother soon and I understand how valuable family is. I would never wish ill treatment on another's child, unless of course they threaten mine," Visenya responded.

"I'm going to talk to her and see if we can get you home," Symond turned back to Mychel.

"Please do so," Mychel nodded. "But please also understand that I am no coward. I didn't surrender."

"I know you, my son. You would never do that," Symond reassured him before turning around. "All right. Let us talk."

"Excellent," Visenya gestured for Lord Symond to follow her back to her tent.

After he was seated, she held up the wine pitcher. "May I offer you some Lys white?"

"I prefer hippocras, if you have it," Lord Symond told her. "Sharra Arryn offered me a flagon from the stash she brought from the Marches and that's the wine that I would choose over others."

_Hippocras… at least he has his own tastes besides the Arbor gold everyone obsesses over. _"I'm afraid I don't have hippocras, my lord. Perhaps another time, if the gods allow it."

"If they allow it." Visenya poured herself some Lys white and sipped her wineglass. "Is that wise, Princess, to drink wine when you are so pregnant?"

"I've had a long few weeks, Lord Symond. I'm very sure that my child wouldn't mind if I allowed this lapse just once, but thank you for your concern," Visenya cleared her throat. "I assume you had some time to think over the message that your son sent you."

"Yes, I read the terms that came from you. His safety and return for either my neutrality or support in your cause," Lord Symond remembered. "As much as I love Mychel, you're asking very much while offering little."

"Hmmm," Visenya nodded her head in thought. "How well do you know the Melcolms?"

"Well enough, and yes, I have heard about how you burned their farmlands. Is this the part where you threaten me with a similar fate if I don't join you?" Symond asked presumably.

"As I said to your son, do not interrupt me, for that will lead to dangerous assumptions," Visenya warned him. "And I only mentioned the Melcolms because I wanted to prove a point. If I really had intentions of wiping House Melcolm and other houses in this kingdom, I would have gone straight for the castle. But I didn't, and that should show you just who are you dealing with. I, as well as my family, might have come to conquer, but we will not engage in malicious violence. Also, I might have been obliged to treat your son with decency, but I could have easily made his situation more difficult if I wanted to."

Symond sighed, conceding her point.

"With that established, can we proceed with the negotiations? I feel as if we're just continuing to state the obvious," Visenya didn't want to talk longer than was necessary.

"All right. I can only go as far as not taking any further part in Queen Sharra's war, but I need more than my son's safety for that to happen."

"And what is it you seek from me? Protection?"

"Even if I give any indication that I will not commit my troops to the field in support of the Queen Regent, I will be putting my family at risk. I am too powerful to not take sides as you can understand."

"I understand," Visenya bobbed her head. "But I urge you to be explicit in what you want from me."

"If the other houses move against me, I need you to protect Runestone and the lands around it with your dragon. You showed at Old Anchor that you can strike anywhere, so you can surely protect me."

"For that to happen, I will need something else from you. I need you to contact the Hunters at Longbow Hall and relay to me their intentions. Will they move against me, will they stay neutral? I also need you to contact the Upcliffs and make the same inquiries. As for the Redforts, I intend for Lord Redfort to come here and negotiate for his son's life, just like you are," Visenya explained.

"Those houses that you listed… curious that you haven't mentioned any houses that came from when the Andals defeated us at the Battle of the Seven Stars," Lord Symond observed.

"At this point, my family cannot trust the same people that brought the Faith to Westeros in the first place, since we are fighting them. I would expect that a house that used to produce kings would have some resentment against them."

Lord Symond swallowed. "Those times are long past."

"And that means you won't try to reclaim what was lost? You're going to forget that your ancestor died because Artys Arryn took what belonged to your family?"

"My ancestors have made my peace with the Arryns as kings. That's not going to change with me."

"I am not so sure about that. Your son and Lord Eon Redfort told me some very interesting things about what they felt towards Sharra Arryn. Who wouldn't have them, considering that Queen Sharra is an outsider?"

"The same could be said about you. After all, your family only came to Westeros over a century ago."

"Maybe, but outsiders among the mountains is probably not a welcome occurrence. Moreover, she acted beyond her sanctions as the regent for her son by taking the Valemen to war when we didn't threaten you."

"That's not the reasoning that she gave."

But Visenya could see that he was merely arguing for the negative. "And what did she say? That we're abominations? That it would be a matter of time before we came after you?" Lord Symond remained silent. "Those reasons would have only have basis in fact if we intended to conquer, but we didn't declare ourselves royals until after the Faith's troops attacked us. So, who's to blame in that regard?" Visenya leaned closer to Lord Symond. "There is no doubt that the Gardeners and the Lannisters will pay for their transgressions against us, particularly King Loren for the harm he inflicted upon our brother. Regarding the Arryns, it'll be a bit trickier since we can say that Queen Sharra acted outside of her obligations and thus did not act on House Arryn's behalf."

"What does this have to do with me?"

"You willing to go down with Sharra Arryn because of her mistakes?" Visenya put forward. "Anyone who stands against us will be punished and they might see their lands and titles taken away. I won't discuss the positive results of you siding with us because I have enough respect for your intellect, but I will reveal what will happen to those that persist in opposing our family. Take for example Oldtown."

Lord Symond blinked, not expecting Visenya to talk about the center of the Faith. _He doesn't know what's coming._

"We will encircle that city, order our troops to show no mercy to everyone there, and we will tear down everything that the Faith holds dear. Meanwhile, we will burn every one of their towers, destroy their walls, their bridges, their ships, maybe even that tower they take so much pride in. And given the strong attachments that the High Septon has to his seven gods, we will burn him and anyone who served him directly, for it was them that drafted the declaration of war against us," Visenya outlined.

"You sure that's a wise course of action? Those who follow the Faith will be in an uproar and might rebel against you to no end," Lord Symond stated.

"By that time, I assure you that most of our enemies are finished and that the fall of Oldtown will be what we need to show the rest of this continent who is superior. Question I have to leave you to answer is whether or not you want to commit your efforts against us. If not for more land or coin, then think about your own survival. You're fortunate that Artys Arryn allowed the Bronze King to live and become his bannermen, but what could've happened had King Artys not have been so lenient?" Visenya challenged.

From his eyes, Visenya could see that Lord Symond wavered. It was obvious that like his son, the Lord of Runestone had no love for Sharra Arryn but was conflicted in his oaths to the Eyrie. She couldn't tell if Lord Symond was pious to the Seven, but he was not close-minded as to ignore sound advice, and warnings.

"I'll have you think more on it. Right now, I have a siege to return to." Visenya got up and left her tent, leaving Lord Symond to his thoughts.

Climbing on top of Vhagar, she eyed Ironoaks' highest tower. "Maerys, we don't have time for this," she spoke to the Tarareon woman in High Valyrian. "I'm thinking about scaring them into surrender. Should I go for the ramparts or the tower?"

"I'd go for the second highest tower. You need whoever runs that castle alive to surrender, but you have to put so much fear that they see that further resistance is futile," Maerys pointed.

"Got it. But if they are being obstinate, tell Lord Marlon to prepare for the assault. Sōvēs!"

Visenya flew Vhagar higher into the air before dipping her nose downwards. Coming close to the castle, she shouted, "Dracarys!" Orange flame left Vhagar's mouth, her force not coming close to Balerion's but enough to engulf the second tower in flames.

Circling around Ironoaks, all Visenya could think is, _Come on. Don't delay. Don't be like Black Harren._

After a few more revolutions around Ironoaks, she saw a white flag raise above the gatehouse. Cheers could be heard from the camp as the troops approached the still intact castle, to disarm the garrison.

But Visenya remembered to be careful in using Vhagar only at critical points. She personally didn't like sieges, but she was not rash in brushing them aside. _It could've gone bad, especially if they had a scorpion. Don't do it again, _she thought to herself.

For now, she would look forward to enjoying real accommodations inside a castle and then moving to the next step. _Once Ironoaks is fully secure, Sharra Arryn will have to choose which to concentrate her forces: against me or against Rhae._

**A/N: In this chapter, I wanted to show the difference between Visenya's and Rhaenys' negotiating style. While Rhaenys places more emphasis on benefits, Visenya is more inclined to promise violence (more stick than carrot). I also wanted to show another part of the development of our dragon women: Rhaenys becoming more able in combat while Visenya is developing her diplomatic skills. **

**Lord Royce is certainly in a bind, but he better make the right decision if he wants to benefit. Plus, Sharra Arryn overreached herself and the cracks are showing in the Vale, which could turn lethal since in canon, it's not noted that she had a strong power base in the Vale. **

**With Ironoaks secured, the Vale lords and Sharra really have to deal with the dragon threat to their lands. At the same time, Visenya is displaying caution, as she and the others cannot just rely on the dragons for all of their quandaries. **

**Next, we see more conflict further south. **


	52. Jaenyx X

**A/N: Hey, guys! Hope you are continuing to be safe and healthy. **

**Just recently got around to watching HAMILTON. I don't usually watch musicals, but as the American Revolution and its characters are among my favorite periods to study, I had to indulge my curiosity. If you can focus on the historical elements of it, I recommend you all to check it out. **

JAENYX X

Having encircled the seat of House Merryweather and cutting off all routes of supply and reinforcement, all they needed to do now was to starve them out, burn them out, or assault directly. But unlike Stonebridge, they needed the castle intact, as it was positioned atop a commanding position over the confluence between the Mander and the Blueburn. Once the castle was secure, practically all of the Mander north of Highgarden would be in their hands.

However, Lord Glover pointed out a future problem on the map. "Your Graces, my lords, while it is important that the Mander is secure, we must not ignore the threat that comes from the Northmarch, particularly from the Marshalls in House Osgrey."

Jaenyx had read about the Osgreys, arguably the most powerful house in the northern Reach. Loyalty to the Gardeners ran deep in their family, who owned three castles besides their main one at Coldmoat, and one of their ancestors, Ser Wilbert Osgrey, killed but was also killed himself by Lancel IV, King of the Rock. And at least five houses were connected to the green lions of Coldmoat by blood, which were the Florents, the Swanns, Tarbecks, Hightowers, and Blackwoods. _Whoever ruled from Coldmoat certainly knew what he was doing, _Jaenyx thought since he had to give credit where it was due.

"Your concerns are well-founded, Lord Glover," Aegon looked at Coldmoat on the map. "We all know that there is little chance of us striking at Cider Hall, since it is very probable that Mern Gardener has reinforced probably the last great fortress before Highgarden itself. Like us, he knows that if Cider Hall is exposed, his capital will be endangered. Longtable must be secured if we are to maintain our foothold in the Reach, but after that, we have to choose between a push towards Ashford or the Northmarch."

"Egg, I suggest we go for Ashford," Jaenyx recommended. "It'll accomplish two goals for us. We secure our southeastern flank and provide a viable route from which the stormlanders under kepa and muña can join us."

Both Jaenyx and Aegon had received the messages from Aerion and Valaena, in which they would lead half of all of the stormlanders to retake all of the lands west of the Slayne and march through the Red Mountains to support the main attack on the Reach. Meanwhile, Orys would set sail around Dorne once the fleet was ready and attack to the south.

_Attacking from the land and sea… a good strategy, _Jaenyx thought.

"That'll overextend our forces, Your Grace. Increasing the risk is the fact that Longtable, Cider Hall, and Ashford are all located on the same bank of the Mander and have no rivers separating them. We would then be in danger from Mern Gardener sending his forces from Cider Hall," Lord Manderly stated.

"The same could be said if we sent our troops towards the Northmarch and against the Osgreys," Torrhen countered. "However, we'll be dealing with a much larger area to cover and we'll have to worry about securing another river. Our efforts will be for naught if we ignore Coldmoat and Goldengrove."

"At the same time, we'll be increasing our hold over the entire northern Reach," Lord Bolton said. "We'll be protecting our other flank and also keep the Gardeners from concentrating all of their forces over a small area. We might be stretching our resources, but so will they."

"Don't forget, Lord Rogar," Ethan Reed joined in. "This is their home. They have the defensive advantage and the numbers. Until the stormlanders under Lord Aerion and Lady Valaena can join us, we cannot afford to spread out our troops over a large portion of land. More importantly, we'll be going in a more roundabout manner if we try to take Coldmoat and Goldengrove since they're a considerable distance away from Highgarden."

"Our goal, Lord Ethan, is not to take Highgarden at this point," Aegon spoke. "As you and the others have noted, we have very limited resources. Our supply concerns have been somewhat alleviated with the crops and livestock we were able to procure as we marched through this kingdom, and the idea of flying straight to Highgarden is a tempting one. However, we have to make definitive gains on the Reach."

"And for that to happen, Egg, we need more men. That's why I propose we go after Ashford once Longtable has been taken," Jaenyx advocated.

"Prince Jaenyx, we cannot ignore the threat from the Northmarch, even though your reasons for taking Ashford are sound," Lord Manderly argued. "As long as the Osgreys have a place from which to launch attacks, we are vulnerable."

"At the same time, my lord, any success that could be gained from an attack on the Northmarch will depend on securing the Horseshoe Hills," Jaenyx circled his hand over the land feature. "Those hills contain not one, not two, but three castles: Coldmoat, Steadfast, and Stackhouse. And we would need to attack them simultaneously to maximize the chances of success, which we realistically cannot do with the men we have. Whereas for Ashford, we would only need to take one castle and one market village, which would require less resources and secure a good route for the stormlords. From these factors alone, which do you think is the most perferable?"

It wasn't hard to answer that question, but something in Jaenyx's mind told him that he shouldn't just disregard an attack on the Northmarch simply because it would tie up resources.

"With respect, Prince Jaenyx, I'm very sure that's something that Mern Gardener would also expect," Torrhen pointed out. "He probably knows that if the stormlords managed to get across the Red Mountains, we'll be to attack him with confidence. Besides Cider Hall, he could also reinforce Ashford to prevent that from happening."

Jaenyx rubbed his chin in thought. The more he thought about it, the more Torrhen Stark's words made a lot of sense.

"Also, an attack on the Northmarch will secure our northern route to the riverlands," Lord Bolton added. "At this moment, the only way that we can hope for resupply or retreat is through Tumbleton. In the event that Tumbleton falls, we'll be trapped. We have to make sure that we have more than one avenue of supply and retreat if necessary."

"Hmmm," Jaenyx tapped the ground with his foot.

"What… about… Blackwood?" Konno asked in the common tongue. "Can… he… send… men?"

"Lord Blackwood's main duty is to protect the parts of the riverlands under our control from attack from Loren Lannister," Aegon told him. "If we take troops from Raventree Hall and from the region, we'll be opening up the riverlands to attack again. After all of the efforts we put in retaking it, that's not something we want happening."

"Maybe… he… can… spare… a… few," Konno spoke slowly, but everyone could understand his point.

"Egg, maybe it's time we reveal what's going on," Jaenyx whispered to him. "They might keep asking us to have Lord Blackwood send troops to help us."

"I don't know if that's a good idea. They might not take the fact that an enemy commander is working for us," Aegon was skeptical.

"We won't say names. After all, we wouldn't want probably our most valuable asset in the enemy camp to be exposed because of some loose lips."

Aegon sighed before nodding. "You're the master of whisperers. You do it."

Jaenyx nodded. "My lords, we have recently received an indication about this war changing in our favor."

"What do you mean, Your Grace?" Torrhen Stark was curious, as well as the rest of the northern lords gathered and Konno Haru.

"For the safety of our man, we won't reveal his name. But he's a senior commander in Loren's army and one of his most powerful bannermen."

Torrhen's eyelids fickered while the northern lords whispered amongst themselves. As for Konno Haru, he spoke to Jaenyx in nihongo. "Who is he?"

"I'll tell you in private," Jaenyx replied back in nihongo.

"Your Grace, why weren't we told about this?" Lord Bolton asked.

"Because it only recently happened, and we had to prepare for the envelopment of Longtable," Jaenyx answered. "What you all need to know at this moment is that he gave us key information about a new weapon that the Faith has developed to counter the dragons and is in a position where he can sabotage Loren Lannister once we give him the word."

"But for that to happen, he needs the men that can be gathered by Raventree Hall as well as the other houses for his role to be accomplished. Therefore, we cannot ask Lord Blackwood to send troops to our aid, for that will both put our positions in the riverlands at risk and take away the help that our man in the enemy's camp needs when the time comes," Aegon included. "So, for now, we have to work with what we have."

Torrhen clicked. "Still, Your Grace, I don't like the idea of consorting with an enemy lord, especially one who is a turncoat."

"Lord Torrhen, if we denied this man's offer of help, this war would be prolonged," Jaenyx stated.

"But we must be cautious, as this man might turn on us if he saw more benefits in staying true to King Loren," Torrhen cautioned.

"If he betrayed us, I'll leak his name to King Loren, and he can kill him for us. So, we have nothing to worry about," Jaenyx assured the Warden of the North.

Torrhen and the rest of the northern lords still had doubts, but knowing Jaenyx's abilities in the secret arts, they knew better than to question him further.

"Going back to whether to move on either the Northmarch or Ashford, I think it best if we used a diversion," Aegon's eyes moved over the map. "Once Longtable is taken, I will direct Lord Manderly, Lord Karstark, Lord Tarareon, Lord Reed, and Jaenyx to move our light troops and many of our horsemen to forage the land and harass the enemy. In that way, we can keep the Reachmen off-balance while we go for the true target."

"Your Grace, which will be the diversion, and which will be the target?" Torrhen asked.

"I have decided that after Longtable, our focus is to take Ashford," Aegon sided with Jaenyx. "We have to secure the line from the former Storm kingdom, so that the stormlords would have a clear path from the Red Mountains. But… Lord Bolton's and Lord Manderly's words on the Northmarch cannot be ignored. Therefore, six thousand footmen will march towards the Horseshoe Hills and begin putting those castles under siege."

"Your Grace, six thousand men is hardly sufficient to assault a castle, let alone the lands under House Osgrey," Lord Manderly stated the facts.

"At this point, I am not asking you to take any of them. Until the stormlords arrive, we cannot move onto the other fortresses. Perhaps if one castle in the Horseshoe Hills fell, then that could confuse Mern Gardener," Aegon suggested.

"In that case, we should take Stackhouse. Not an entirely strong castle, but its position near Coldmoat makes it a very good place from which to threaten the Osgreys," Jaenyx pointed to thee location of Stackhouse. "I can take Lord Konno and some of his men and do a repeat of what happened at Haystack Hall."

"That can work," Aegon agreed. "Now, we have to focus on how we're going to win at Longtable. I don't expect the Merryweathers to be dislodged so easily from there."

* * *

Jaenyx marched with his forces under the cover of night as they moved into position further south of Longtable. With him was Konno Haru, Ethan Reed, Aevor Rahitheon, Rhaedar Tarareon, and Larence Karstark, as their role in the attack required a mixture of strength and speed for them to triumph. But where they would end up carried great risk, as they were probably in one of the most fortified areas of the Reach at that moment. As before, time was against them and they couldn't afford to spend it on sieges and the like.

Jaenyx remembered what was discussed at the camp outside of Longtable after deciding on the overall strategy. In order to dislodge the Merryweathers from Longtable, Aegon and Torrhen Stark would attack the castle in a pincer movement. In the process, they would cut off all routes of escape except for one, which led directly to Cider Hall. Knowing that the Merryweathers were badly depleted from Stonebridge, they would either have to fight to the last in order to defend their castle or fall back to their brethren at Cider Hall.

Should the former occur, it wouldn't take long for the castle to fall. They commanded overwhelming numbers and an assault at night would have more success during the day because most of the garrison would be sleeping.

Should the latter occur, Jaenyx would be able to meet them head on and prevent their escape to Cider Hall. There would be disarray from the retreat from Longtable and they would not be in a formation to fight them. They would then maximize their gains and minimize losses.

The attack would begin when Balerion set the second highest tower of Longtable on fire, where the northmen would be very close to walls to begin scaling them by ladders. If everything went according to plan, it would be an easy victory.

_But only if it were so easy… _Jaenyx cautioned himself. Despite the successes that they were able to enjoy, they could not remain complacent. They also had to take into account that the enemy might have obtained a better idea of how they fought and would not fall for the same tactics twice.

Adding to his anxiety was the mist that had suddenly fallen onto the field. It was much too thick, as Jaenyx could barely see past a few inches. Consequently, the troops under his command moved much slower. Visibility was one of the key aspects of success on the battlefield and they didn't have that. _Why did a mist show up out of al places?_

"I don't like the way this looks," Konno spoke in nihongo while keeping his voice down. "A mist before battle is never a good sign."

"I know," Jaenyx said.

"No, you don't know," Konno answered. "Plenty of nasty things can happen whenever a mist appears. I would know because I made the mistake of trying to kill in a mist."

"Wouldn't something like this be perfect to jump on your target?" Jaenyx asked.

"The thing is, if they can't see through a mist, you can't also. I might have got my target, but I was almost caught because I couldn't see my escape route. That's how dangerous a mist like this is," Konno warned.

Jaenyx exhaled. "Nothing we can do about it now. We have a battle to fight."

"Just keep your eyes open, as I taught you. You never know what could happen."

"Right," Jaenyx affirmed.

They spent a good chunk of the day before dawn trying to get into the correct position. Jaenyx and the others knew that they were on the correct bank of the Mander, but they couldn't tell how far away from Longtable they were. If they were out of position, their plans would have been jeopardy. He reached out to Cloudwynd, who was flying above just in case. _Cloudwynd, girl, can you see anything down here?_

_The mist is too thick. I can't see where you are, _she responded.

_Any word from Balerion? _From how long they were moving, the attack was about to happen soon.

_The troops are moving on the castle, but it's too quiet. Something's not right here._

_Keep circling above us. I don't think the mist will last much longer, but there's no telling what will happen once it lifts._

_Got it._

Fortunately, the troops were able to stay in formation and the cavalry remained close to the footmen. But more time passed and Jaenyx could hear neither the roars from Balerion nor the sounds of swords clashing against each other. Like Konno and the rest of the troops, he caught on that their battle plan was already not going the way it was supposed to be, as it was too quiet, and the mist certainly didn't help matters.

In time, as the morning grew later, the mist slowly lifted from the field and visibility improved. As the land became clearer, Jaenyx's eyes scanned rapidly, looking for any sign of the enemy. Gradually, the outline of Longtable was revealed to the troops. To their shock, it remained as it were the day before. _Not even a scratch on the stones or a smoke plume. Why haven't Egg and Lord Stark attacked?_

A single metal clink echoed through the dying mist. Alarmed, Jaenyx looked from Longtable and down onto the field. His eyes widened as the silhouettes of mounted knights, men-at-arms, and footmen appeared through the thinning mist. As they moved closer, he could make out the sigils of House Merryweather, House Appleton, and House Meadows.

_Wait a moment. How did the other two houses get here?_

"Your Grace, look!" Ethan Reed pointed to behind them.

Jaenyx turned around and saw another force coming towards them. He could recognize the sigil of House Fossoway, House Oakheart, and even the red spider of House Webber.

Wasting no time pondering on how they were misled and encircled, Jaenyx shouted, "To arms! Defensive formation!"

The troops assumed identical formations, the phalanx, which were faced back-to-back, while the Karstark horsemen would provide the troops with the protection they needed from the mounted knights.

Jaenyx assessed the situation. Not only were they outnumbered, they were caught in an unfavorable position, in which their foes could easily overwhelm them. Standing on open ground was very dangerous and that's where they were now.

"Lord Reed, Lord Karstark, hold our northern flank. Rhaedar, Aevor, hold our southern flank. I'm thinking that the others are just discovering that there is no one in the castle and they will come to us. Until then, we have to hold them. Understood?"

"Yes, Your Grace," they all answered.

"Good luck. Stay close to me, teacher," Jaenyx stood next to Konno.

"Worry about yourself, Jaenyx. I can fight," Konno tried to assure him.

"This is only for my peace of mind. We need to stay close since we're about to be encircled if we're not careful."

Konno drew his katana. "You know, Jaenyx. I'm always careful."

Horns blew from their approaching adversaries, which signaled the first wave of knights to charge on horseback.

"Pikes down! Archers ready!" Jaenyx ordered. The Rahitheon and Tarareon men lowered their pikes while other Tarareon men and crannogmen equipped with bows and crossbows took aim. "Lord Larence, once the knights have been engaged, sally forth with your cavalry. Engage only their flanks!"

"Yes, Your Grace," Larence nodded before galloping to prepare his men.

The Reach knights lowered their lances while their horses gave them more momentum with each inch passed. Knowing that they were not on favorable terrain and that they had to save as much of their strength for the next wave of Reachmen, Jaenyx looked over the formations once more. Each of the captains had organized their men into squares, with pikes arranged in two rows and the missile troops of the Tarareons and Reeds positioned between them, while the Karstark cavalry were holding in between the phalanxes. He also told each of the battalion captains to step back a few paces after the Reach knights crashed into their lines.

Once they got close enough, Jaenyx nodded to Ethan Reed, who wiped the sweat from his brow. "At two hundred paces, ready arrows!" he ordered.

The first wave of armored knights entered the effective range of their bows and crossbows, the lances not doing much to intimidate a small but battle-hardened force. "Loose!" Ethan Reed gave the command.

A volley of arrows crossbow bolts flew through the air before striking at the knights, cutting down many and forcing several of their horses to stop. But the sight of so many of their brothers dying, which were partly caused by the armor-piercing arrow tips that Jaenyx's troops were equipped with, did little to deter them. Pressing on their charge, they collided into the waiting pikes. As expected, many were unhorsed while many of their mounts were injured once their skin and flesh were pierced.

Jaenyx swung Seablaze onto the coming torso of a Merryweather knight, knocking him over as he tried to make a pass at him on his horse. The force was so strong that it knocked the armored man off of his mount, allowing him to get close, move Seablaze through the gap between his helm and breastplate, and kill him with a stab in the neck.

Jaenyx turned around and saw that his other formation had also made contact with other force of Reach knights. Arros and crossbow bolts flew through the air and more of practitioners of chivalry become corpses on the ground, allowing the burden of fighting on multiple sides to be lessened. However, they were still about to be encircled and Jaenyx worried for the men once the enemy infantry engaged them.

Searching through the field, Jaenyx saw the Karstark horsemen, alongside the Tarareon cavalry, combating with the Reach footmen. The Karstarks fought their way through the pikes and struck at the flanks as instructed, while the Tarareons assumed their traditional formations and rained down a continuous stream of arrows on horseback.

"Push, men! Push!" Jaenyx shouted. Once the knights were locked in close battle, the infantry used their pikes to drive them back while stepping over the bodies. But he was smart enough to have the formations not move so far out of position and out of formation, since that would put them at increased risk of penetration by the enemy.

Once the pressure from the pikes became too much to handle, the Reach knights fell back, only for the infantry to move in. The Tarareons were continuing to put arrows in them, but they kept marching forward.

"Archers, resume volleys!" Jaenyx pointed to the infantry closing on them. Reed and Tarareon foot bowmen joined the mounted archers in hurling projectiles at their foes, but they were in tight formation and well-protected by their shields.

Realizing that they would not last long if the enemy was able to enclose them, Jaenyx reached out to Cloudwynd. _Girl, we need help. Burn them!_

_With pleasure, _Cloudwynd responded. Soon, a screech pierced through the sounds of the battle, as the blue dragon descended from the still dim skies and unleashed her blue flames onto the field. Dragons might have struggled with nighttime conditions, but the clash of metal was enough for them to determine where to burn. In one stroke, the Reachmen infantry coming from the north were incapacitated as their rearguard was set aflame.

Jaenyx heard Cloudwynd's wings flap in the distance. _Come on, girl. One more time._

_Hold on. He's coming, _his dragon spoke in his thoughts.

Soon, another set of wings could be made out, this one being louder. "Balerion," he recognized. His loud and deep roar echoed as black flames poured onto the rearguard of the other Reachmen footmen formation.

"They're coming," Konno observed. Another roar from Balerion confirmed his teacher's words.

Energized about the help coming, Jaenyx and the men redoubled their efforts against the enemy. At the same time, the enemy continued to advance, with their reformed mounted knights also joining the charge.

The Reach horsemen broke into a gallop towards the parallel lines of Jaenyx's men, while the Reach footmen double-timed their advance. Jaenyx's men held tight and then, as the mounted Reach knights were almost upon them, the first line dropped to their knees, pikes lowered, axes raised, and swords unsheathed. When the Reachmen hit them, those weapons are speared into the breasts and legs of horses that fall and thrash on them.

Reach knights are thrown into the mud, footmen throw themselves on their foes, and all hell had broken loose. The field outside of Longtable quickly became a seething mess of mud and flailing knights, confused thrashing horses, and men locked in a desperate struggle for survival. Men are trampled and bashed. A knight, fallen in the dirt, got stuck face down and crawled around helplessly. He tried to lift himself, but a horse fell on top of him, pinning him to drown in the hard earth. A Rahitheon raised his axe and finished him.

Jaenyx found himself crawling on the ground, wrestling with a Reach knight. He held the knight's helmet, took it off, and began bashing him into the ground. The earth became sodden with blood, eventually suffocating the poor knight, while he himself was started to become pummeled by men and horses. When the knight stopped struggled, he tried desperately to get back to his feet, but found the task near impossible with men and horses right on top of him.

He managed to grab onto a horse's stirrup and lift himself up, only to find himself jammed between the rumps of two other terrified horses. Desperate for breath, Jaenyx managed to get his helmet off. He lifted his face to the sky and sucked in the air.

_Oh, gods. How did this happen? _He might have been experienced in battle, but never before was he so stuck between corpses.

It was not different in the other places, as the Reachmen and his own troops were choking and clawing at each other like drunken brawlers. Jaenyx had seen desperation bring out sides of a man in battle, but this time was different. For the first time, he legitimately felt afraid for his life, because he had more people to be responsible for and more people who needed him. He thought of Aegon and Orys, who would struggle to move on if he had died. He thought of Rhaenys, who became the sister he never knew he needed. Most importantly, he thought of Visenya and their unborn babe, since sorrow would be insufficient to describe what they would feel if he died right there.

_Kepa and muña left me alone. I will never do that. I'm coming, Vis. Just wait!_

Forcing himself to stand up, ignoring the blood and muck that covered every inch of his armor and hair, Jaenyx raised Seablaze and looked upon the chaotic field.

As men are cut down around him, Jaenyx threw himself back into the fray, confounding the Reachmen with his speed and agility. He slid and fell, but nimbly gets back to his feet, dodging and moving, cutting and stabbing. Armored Reach knights fall and flail, as the intensity showed no sign of letting up. Unsheathing his dagger, he jams it into their throats as he is sucked into the swirling pit. Jaenyx got dragged to the ground by a floundering Reach knight. He responded by caving the knight's helmet in with the hilt of his dagger and then crawled beneath a horse's belly to get back to his feet. He manages to suck in air like earlier.

Looking into the sky, Jaenyx as another barrage of arrows flew overhead, but this came from different direction. Wiping his eyes, he saw that the reinforcements led by Torrhen Stark had finally arrived. He also saw Balerion land not far from the battle, breathing black fire onto anyone that was foolish to come close while Aegon dismounted, drew Flame Screecher forth from his back, and engaged the enemy.

Relieved to see his goodbrother, Jaenyx smashed his way through the throng of metal and flesh. But he found his path blocked by a man sporting the apple sigil of House Fossoway. Turning around, the man readied himself, his face indiscernible from behind the helm.

Jaenyx charged forward, swinging his sword. The Fossoway knight blocks and deflects him easily causing him to stumble. The apple knight remained calm and seemed cocksure as Jaenyxed regathered himself.

"Come for me, blue dragon," the Fossoway knight challenged him.

"So, you know who I am," Jaenyx gripped Seablaze tighter.

"I am Ser Victor Fossoway, brother of Lord Talbert Fossoway. Didn't expect us to use the mist against you, huh?"

"Clever on your part, but I have no intention of dying today," Jaenyx shot back.

"What are you waiting for then? Fight me, to live."

Jaenyx attacked again, this time steadier, more sure-footed. They trade blows. Ser Victor was a powerful and battle-fit warrior. Jaenyx was a bit more troubled by the contest, struggling to keep his feet while trading blows with him. They fight, separate and circle each other.

Despite his ascendency, Ser Victor seemed surprised by the fight Jaenyx offers, with the brother of Lord Fossoway having so much faith in his abilities that he didn't expect his opponent to have agility.

Another vicious exchange took place, with Jaenyx headbutted Ser Victor. The men break, watching each other and catching their breath as they circle one another.

"Come for me again, dragon," Ser Victor dared.

Jaenyx raised Seablaze and stood firm as he waited, while the battle raged around them.

Ser Victor coldly fixed on him before charging. The exchange becomes brutal, as Jaenyx found himself struggling under the push strike from the Fossoway knight's sword. Feeling his arms about to give out, he bent backwards and heard his sword ring as their blades slid past each other. Pulling his dagger from its scabbard, he readied himself once more. Ser Victor laughs from behind his visor before he charged again. Jaenyx ducked and spun around, causing Ser Victor to trip and fall. Jaenyx wheeled around and thrusts his dagger straight through the Fossoway knight's throat. Ser Victor's corpse falls to the ground, dead. Jaenyx could only stand over him, heaving for breath.

Eventually, the sounds of the battle dissipate, as the combination of the northmen reinforcements and two dragons burning them proved too much for the Reachmen. Jaenyx bends and lifts Ser Victor's helmet off, contemplating his lifeless face as the rest of the Reachmen retreat.

Too much could have gone wrong, and it almost did for Jaenyx and the men. Caught in the open, only by their fingernails and romping in the blood-soaked earth were they able to survive. He surveyed the field, the dead littering it all over. He guessed that they suffered more casualties than expected. _How did this happen?_

"Jae," he heard Aegon call to him before putting his hand on his shoulder. "You all right?"

"Yeah," Jaenyx mumbled, clearly in shock.

"Jae, none of this anyone's fault. Who knew that the flower boys would be this clever?" Aegon tried to make light of the situation, but he found it difficult to do so considering what could have happened.

"How could we have been so careless?" Jaenyx thought aloud. "We clearly didn't expect our foes to use surprise against us."

"We learn, and we adapt," Aegon reminded him. "That's what you've taught us and that's what we're going to do. In addition, you have a prize today."

Jaenyx looked again at the corpse of the Fossoway. "Ser Victor Fossoway, brother of the Lord of Cider Hall."

"What do you want to do with him? He's your kill, after all."

Jaenyx swallowed. "Let's remove his armor and his sword. We'll send his body back, if they want it."

"Good idea. You two," Aegon called two northmen over. "Strip this man of his armor and bring that and his sword to Prince Jaenyx's tent."

"Yes, Your Grace," the two complied.

"Come on. Let's get you washed. Can't have you be filthy when you do see Vis again," Aegon pushed him towards Longtable, now in their hands, as they passed by their troops collecting the dead and piling all of the weapons while pillaging the corpses.

_Just wait, Jae. You'll see her again, _Jaenyx told himself. "Aye. Thanks, Egg."

**A/N: The battle of Longtable was based on the Battle of Kawanakajima (1561), one of the most famous battles in the Sengoku period of Japan. And I wanted to show that Jaenyx was not completely immune to other people using surprise against him. This will be a good reminder to not be complacent, as many things could have gone wrong. On the flip side, Jaenyx adds another notable kill to his achievements and helped win the day. **

**Also, we have more strategic considerations, both of which have merit, while the northmen are understandably concerned about Lord Reyne's defection. But as Jaenyx said, they're not in a position to be choosy. **

**Next, we reach a turning point further north. **


	53. Rhaenys XI

**A/N: Hi there! Just came back from vacation and I really needed to get out of the house. But I was able to recharge, see nature, and do some hiking. So worth it! **

**Sorry for the slight delay. **

RHAENYS XI

Rhaenys took out her knife and carved the small branch she found in the mountains as fast as she could. Bits of the branch were shaved off, as she fashioned it into a tool that Arata Haru showed her that made her wonder how many ways existed in killing a person.

What she was trying to make from the branch was called a tongah, which was a hollow shaft utilized whenever archers used an aegijian, which meant "baby arrow." As the name would suggest, it was a type short arrow or bolt that would be released using the tongah. The wooden shaft would allow the archer to draw a short arrow at a full draw length with a full-sized bow, as its main function was to be an overdraw device. When Rhaenys first saw a demonstration by Arata, she got confused, as a tongah used with a bow looked very similar to a crossbow.

But as she would discover, there were several advantages that came when shooting a shorter arrow, or aegjian. The shorter arrow was lighter, which meant that they could travel faster through the air, and it allowed for more arrow to flow past it smoothly. They were released with a higher pace, which resulted in greater range and could hit the target more quickly. Their speed and small size also made it harder for any prey to see them coming. Their higher speed and traveling efficiency meant that they had a better chance at penetrating armor at long range, although they still could be stopped with enough distance. Any broken arrows could also be made into the short arrows.

Rhaenys learned that in the type of war practiced in the Golden Empire of Yi-Ti, archers routinely used boys behind the front line to run and collect the arrows released by the enemy that missed their marks. This would quickly resupply the frontline bowmen with the missiles used against them that went too high or to the sides of the unit. A number of efforts over time were invented to prevent the enemy from responding with the arrows fired against them. The aegijian was one method, as opposing forces who lacked a similar device as the tongah would be unable to use the short arrows on the field, and there was no chance that the enemy had bowmen who were familiar with what they were facing.

Rhaenys witnessed the power of the aegijian device when Arata took her hunting one time. When they were in the Crackclaw Point, there was a deer that was too far away for them to hurl a traditional arrow with. But it was a long day and they both needed to eat, so Arata showed her how to make the aegijian from scratch. Once it was done, Arata aimed carefully and released. To her surprise, not only did it strike its mark, it went through both sides of the deer's neck and into the bark of another tree. Arata then told her that it was perfect for ambushes, as her potential foes would not be able to both use her arrows against her and know for sure where it came from.

The reason why Rhaenys decided to use those arrows was because Brandon told her that a Vale army was coming from Heart's Home. With Meraxes still recuperating from her injuries and with the existence of the scorpion making flying riskier, she had to rely on Brandon and Autumn in scouting the enemy. Fortunately, they both proved up to the task, as they were able to witness the Valemen assembling at the seat of House Corbray and ascertained that their target was Strongsong.

As House Belmore willingly bent the knee to House Targaryen, Rhaenys had an obligation to protect her new vassal in the Vale. Lord Belmore was understandably worried about his brethren coming towards him, as any loss for Rhaenys would directly and negatively affect him. _Nothing good happens to those who turn their cloaks._

"One of our best options is to fortify our positions here at Strongsong," Ondrew Poole suggested. "We have a castle in a good defensive position, and we can use the valley and the mountains on the north and south banks of the river as a chokepoint, negating whatever numbers that our enemy might have."

"Their numbers equal ours. If we wait for them, we have a good chance in repelling them," Lord Darry agreed.

Rhaenys knew enough of strategy to understand that when attacking defensive positions, the attackers always had to outnumber the defenders and that was not the case for the upcoming fight.

"I would not argue against defending Strongsong, since we can also wait them out," Bethany Mormont concurred. "However, this castle might not be their objective. If you look at where Heart's Home is, it's closer to the Eyrie than we are. Also, it controls the other half of the valley and is the entrance to the sea from this part of the Vale. If we really want to put pressure on the Arryns, we have to seize the entire valley and threaten Heart's Home itself."

"If we present ourselves as too threatening, that could have the Vale send troops against us and not Princess Visenya," Lyanara pointed out.

Rhaenys was proud that her sister had taken Ironoaks without much loss of life, as the Waynwoods proved quite easy to cower into surrendering. With the capture of a major castle in the Vale, the heirs of two major houses, and the defeat of an army, all within the Vale proper, she was showing that she was a warrior and leader all on her own two feet. She was accomplishing her purpose of drawing the Vale's attention towards herself and not the other advance.

Brandon spoke up. "Waiting for the enemy is not a path that I would recommend right now. It is true that we cannot draw the Valemen's gaze away from Princess Visenya, but we have to seize the advantage wherever we can."

"What are you suggesting then, Lord Snow?" Lord Belmore asked.

"We take a portion of our forces, set up positions at this tributary, and attack from multiple sides via the mountainsides," Brandon pointed on the map.

"That could work," Sijurn nodded. "A few well-placed archers within the mountain faces will be enough to stop the lowlanders in their tracks."

"Not helping matters for them is that many will be equipped with heavy armor and weapons too cumbersome for close combat in the mountains," Lyanara said. "They'll find themselves very troubled if they were to continue the advance on us."

"That's leaving an awful lot to chance," Ondrew Poole was unsure. "We still don't have all of the mountain clansmen on our side and we need to not only even out our numbers, but to maximize our knowledge of the terrain in this kingdom. If we are to use the mountain sides to set up an ambush, we have to ensure that no one might attack from us behind and thus throwing all of our plans into disarray."

"You have no need to worry about that," Sijurn assured him. "There are only two choices that us clansmen have in this fight: join you or to stay on the sidelines. For those that join, we can get our lands back. For those that don't fight, they can see lowlanders kill other lowlanders. We benefit one way or the other."

Rhaenys was uncomfortable at that notion, but she realized that the value in the clan chief's words. _Better to have them sitting out, if they won't side with us._

"Sijurn also offers a good option regarding bowmen," Brandon concurred. "Using the mountainsides, we can release arrows from multiple angles and cause enough casualties for our main forces to engage them. But the question now is which place can we use to attack them?"

Rhaenys looked over the map, which was spread out in Lord Belmore's main solar. After Strongsong bent the knee, it didn't take long for the rest of the army to assemble and rest after an arduous march through the mountains. But this was probably the most difficult part of their campaign in the Vale, as the trick in storming the Eyrie with the most surprise came from how well-timed their attack was. If they attack too early or too late, they would be delayed and would lose precious time in the war. The situation in Westeros was still precarious for them and they needed to be as careful as they could.

That's when an idea came to Rhaenys. "What about… drawing them out?"

"Your Grace?" Bethany asked.

"Maybe we don't have to take them all out at once. It is as all you have said. We cannot just let the enemy control the other half of this valley, but we also cannot wait for them to attack us. With my dragon still needing time to heal, we have to choose our targets wisely," Rhaenys stated.

"You make valid points, Your Grace, but what are you trying to say, if I may?" Lord Darry inquired.

"From what I can understand, the most important parts of any army are any that could move fast and are maneuverable. Applying those two traits, that would point to the archers and mounted troops. While the footmen provide the backbone of any force, they'll be exposed without knights or archers."

The top commanders in the solar of Strongsong looked at each other, slowly understanding what she was getting.

"You're suggesting that we find a way to take out the enemy horse and bowmen?" Lyanara spoke up.

"Should the enemy facing us lose all of the troops who could ride a horse and shoot bows, they won't be able to advance against us," Brandon answered.

"But how exactly will that be accomplished, Your Grace?" Lord Belmore queried.

"We use bait and we dangle it in front of Heart's Home," Rhaenys responded. "Provide too tempting of a prey that they will have to pursue it."

"What prey are you thinking of using, Your Grace?" Ondrew Poole questioned.

"Myself."

Silence filled the solar, everyone stunned by what she just said. Several moments passed by, as the idea of a queen willingly risking herself in battle had never occurred to any of them

"Your Grace, I must strongly protest against that," Lord Darry stated his objections. "A queen cannot be in the midst of battle, especially since you are carrying an heir."

"I have to concur with Lord Darry, Your Grace," Ondrew Poole joined him. "Your dragon cannot fly yet and you are carrying the future of House Targaryen at this moment. Should you attempt to enter battle in your condition, it could only spell disaster."

"Ondrew, would you say that to Torrhen if he wanted to go into battle but was missing an arm or a leg?" Bethany crossed her arms. "You are wrong to assume that pregnancy has made Queen Rhaenys less potent. In fact, she became more motivated and stronger because of it."

"That's right," Lyanara also spoke in defense of Rhaenys. "You are right to be concerned with her condition, but that is her child. She wouldn't be offering to do this if she really wanted to put her babe at grave risk. It appears that you all have much to learn on how strong the bond is between mother and child."

Rhaenys looked at the Mormont sisters, grateful of their support and how they defended her choice.

"And you lowlanders seem to forget that she's quite something with the bow and arrow," Sijurn remembered how Rhaenys bested him in archery. "She can take care of herself, and I for one want to see a queen fight for once. I've seen enough lowland queens who just let others fight for them, which is such a waste."

Rhaenys nodded her thanks to the clan chief.

"Well, us 'lowlanders' have an understanding of what inheritance is," Lord Belmore countered at Sijurn. "Her Grace is Queen of Westeros and her husband is king. One of the most important things of ensuring a throne is to make sure that there are heirs who can sit on that throne. And she is currently carrying what is hopefully the first of many heirs to come. If she brings herself into the thick of battle, the stress might endanger the babe and would thus endanger our sovereign rulers. If they are at risk, what's to happen to their supporters?"

Rhaenys could not believe what she was hearing. Even though House Belmore was of First Man origins, they acted so much like the southern houses that she grew tired of. What's more, Lord Belmore behaved like all other men in the south in that they didn't think women could handle combat, if that was his implication.

She tried very hard to control her temper, but her biting down hard on her teeth made that difficult to do.

Fortunately, Brandon stepped in before it got worse. "My lord, your concerns are understandable, and I should be glad because you are worried. You should be, because if we win, you stand to gain much. But I will say this in response. Rhaenys Targaryen has seen battle. She fought ever since Darvin Hoare tried to invade Dragonstone. She burned the ironborn at Wailing Willows and at Harrenhal, and she helped defeat Argilac Durrandon at Bronzegate. She also took part in close combat at Raventree Hall and has proven herself above her peers with the bow and her ability to lead. The only ones who can match her in terms of combat skill and leadership are her brother-husband the King, her sister Princess Visenya, her older brother Lord Orys, and her good-brother Prince Jaenyx. She is more than capable of fighting in battle, but also, she knows what she's capable of. Very few are blessed with the ability to be aware of their strengths and utilizing them to their full potential, and you're looking at one of them."

Rhaenys wasn't surprised that Brandon came to her defense. But she was still appreciative of how her future family was championing her in front of others.

"With that out of the way, might I suggest that we continue with the strategy? I'm sure that after Queen Rhaenys has made her case, we can see how to accomplish our goal in more detail," Brandon finished.

After the solar was emptied, Rhaenys sat down in the lord's chair across from Brandon. "I have to hand it to you, Brandon. You really know how to defuse a very bad situation."

"I honestly wasn't aware of how angry you became," Brandon admitted. "But I'm glad that I could help."

Rhaenys rubbed her forehead. "Gods… I just have to accept that this is going to be my life. But that doesn't that I will like it."

"Rhaenys, being a ruler is not as glorious as the songs and tales say. You have to deal with the toil that comes with commanding others, and most of them will not like you. In fact, a few might try to usurp you, as that is the usual response whenever predators smell weakness. Take it from me. I was castellan of Winterfell and I had to deal with so much headaches on Torrhen's behalf," Brandon explained.

"I understand all of that, but I still didn't expect ruling to be so thankless."

"That's what responsibility feels like. You will not like most of what you have to do, but when you look back on the hard times, they won't matter eventually. They'll just… be overshadowed by the triumphs and successes that you will enjoy as a ruler."

Rhaenys sighed. "I can only imagine that Vis, Egg, Jae, and Orys are going through the same things that I am. I scared those lords with Meraxes for being so hesitant in supporting us, but I have also to show that I am capable of rewarding loyalty."

"You will eventually find your balance as a ruler, Rhaenys. And if you think that your present struggles are bad, imagine what ruling in peace will be like. At least in war, they have to stand by you, or they die. Peace doesn't afford such a luxury."

"Like when you had to deal with Rogar Bolton before this war started?" Rhaenys asked.

"Exactly," Brandon nodded. "The Boltons and Starks had tensions that lasted for two thousand years. While we both came to terms, that doesn't mean that the conflicts between our houses went away. The reason why I admire Torrhen is because he can be a great warrior and also heed sound council when it comes to ensuring peace in the North. We might not be involved in many squabbles as in the south, but we still have to be vigilant and yet wise when it comes to the use of force."

Rhaenys nodded in understanding. "I think that's part of what we're doing now. We can use the dragons anytime we want, but we also show that we can be merciful and offer chances for those to come to our side. We'll be generous to those who see what we are trying to accomplish, and we'll hard-hearted to those who persist in resisting us. And they will see the consequences in fire and blood."

"Well said," Brandon bobbed his head in approval. "But we must hurry, as they need us further south."

Rhaenys knew what he was referring to. Despite winning a victory at Longtable, the advance had now stalled. They could not further advance against Highgarden, as Cider Hall was too heavily fortified. And Orys was now sailing around Dorne with his fleet, attempting to strike from the sea. Aegon, Jaenyx, and Orys needed her and Visenya and as much as troops as they could bring, since they could help tip the balance against the southern contingents of the Faith coalition to their favor. The longer they waited, the more time that their enemies had in preparing against them.

And that was the main reason why she had decided to offer herself as bait, since the enemy would find the chase of a queen too tempting to resist. Of course, she didn't move against the enemy by herself. Brandon, Autumn, and a group of both northmen and Vale mountain clansmen had accompanied her, helping to set up the ruse.

The first part of her plan was to seize the initiative. Sijurn knew about certain mountain passes and caves that allowed for their trip from Strongsong to be quicker and less strenuous. Following his lead, Rhaenys, Brandon and Autumn, and fifty bowmen then came upon the Vale encampment at Heart's Home. From her count, there were ten thousand men, much less than the ones concentrated in the Vale proper but still a threat. But curiously, with the exception of House Corbray and House Lynderly of Snakewood, most of the army was made up of lesser houses, of which Rhaenys was not aware of. She would have expected the Coldwaters, the sistermen sworn to the Sunderlands, or the even the Eleshams from the Paps to make their appearance, all of whom were absent.

Rhaenys went over the implications of their absence. Geography certainly played a role, as there was simply no way that that those houses would quickly send their men to assist their king. But a more serious suggestion would be that the Vale was running out of men to throw at them and now had to get the minor lords to assist. If that was the case, they either had caused more damage to the Vale than previously thought, or more powerful houses such as the Hunters were not committed to the fight.

Rhaenys remembered from the message sent by Visenya that part of the conditions she offered to Lord Royce in return for his son's safety was that he would work to persuade Longbow Hall to be neutral, or to join them. Both would work very much to their favor, as that included one more powerful house on their side. _And people say that Vis doesn't know how to persuade people. She just isn't soft, which is what many would expect._

Going back to the Vale army, Rhaenys quickly found the parts of the encampment that had the archers and those who fought from horseback. She signaled for the archers with her to take positions while she and Brandon would appear in front of the camp.

Many would understandably call her actions crazy, or even mad, but such an action was necessary. "Ready?" Rhaenys asked Brandon.

"Ready when you are," Brandon unsheathed his sword while Autumn bared his teeth in preparation.

Moving down the mountainside and appearing in front of the camp, she and Brandon stood calmly, although she had to admit that she was a bit afraid at facing such a force with just her friend and his trusted companion at her side. _Anyone who says they're not are either lying or need to check themselves._

Slowly, every man in the Vale camp turned their eyes to the pair. Many were confused at the newcomers, not sure of what to make of a northerner, a direwolf, and a Valyrian archer.

"Who the fuck are you?" one of the Valemen, a Lynderly judging from his surcoat, shouted.

"I am Rhaenys of House Targaryen, Queen of Westeros. And this is my Hand, Brandon Snow of House Stark, along with his direwolf Autumn. We demand that you take us to your commander!" she declared.

To say that many of them were shocked beyond words would fall very short in fully describing their reactions. Some of them had seen Meraxes be wounded and had hoped that her rider was dead, but not only was she very much alive, she had the audacity to show up in front of their camp with nothing but a bow and arrow with her. Brandon raised his sword, preparing to defend himself, while Autumn growled.

A knight with the Lynderly sigil pushed through a group of Valemen, apparently one of the leaders from how he carried himself. "Didn't know a queen could be so reckless with her life, especially one who is carrying a child," he sneered.

"Would you like to find out just how reckless I can be?" Rhaenys nocked an arrow and aimed it at him, prompting the other Valemen to ready their weapons and draw their bows.

The Lynderly knight turned to the men. "What are you waiting for? Capture the pretender queen and kill the rest. Do I have to spell it out for you all?!"

A few Vale footmen stepped forward, but arrows flew down and struck their torsos, killing them. The Valemen looked around, surprised of the sudden volley, before more arrows landed on top of them. Rhaenys released one arrow and struck another, a man-at-arms from the looks of him, before she, Brandon, and Autumn ran back towards the mountains.

"After them! Do not let them get away!" she heard one of them order.

_Good. They're taking the bait._

Rhaenys and Brandon ran up a part of the mountainside, deliberately going at a pace where the fast-moving elements of their army would be able to catch up. Unlike the other parts of the mountain, this particular portion was not steep, making it easier for warhorses to climb it.

This part of the mountain was also thick with forests, which would allow them to hide amongst the trees once their Vale foes were close enough and could not easily get out.

But as soon as they hit the tree line, Rhaenys saw an arrow land into the bark of a tree next to her. Turning around, she saw that besides the mounted knights, the Vale archers had begun hurling their arrows at her, Brandon, and Autumn.

Whipping around, Rhaenys readied another arrow and released it, striking one in the neck. As they got deeper into the forest, more arrows were exchanged between them. Meanwhile, Brandon and Autumn were doing their best to duck their heads and avoid being struck. Unlike Rhaenys, they had no means to which they could respond to the arrow volleys thrown at them. Whenever an arrow landed in the ground or tree next to them, Brandon jerked towards it. He was betting that the arrow would not strike in the same mark twice, so that was his best chance at being pierced.

While Rhaenys drew another arrow, she felt a shove against her belly. Falling backwards from the force, she rubbed her stomach and was relieved that she and her child weren't hurt. _Gods… if Jae wasn't married to Vis, I'd kiss him. These dragon coats are so well-made._

Brandon got Rhaenys back up and hid behind her, knowing that her dragon coat would protect him from the arrows. Indeed, all of them bounced off of the Valyrian steel plates and the dragonblood-coated threads that made it up. Turning around, Rhaenys pushed Brandon forward. "Come on! It's now time to lose them!"

Once they reached a certain point in the forest, they now had to hide. Part of the natural response from a hunter was that after going a particular distance, the hunter would be so invested in the hunt that they would not stop until they captured their prey. And after seeing their prey disappear, they would not just give up. Considering that their game was a queen, they would consider any efforts and energies expended on their part as worth it.

Looking behind and satisfied that they had lost sight of their chasers, Rhaenys and Brandon split up. "Get into position, Brandon. We'll see each other once this is all over."

"Be careful, Rhaenys," Brandon pleaded.

"You too," and with that, she disappeared behind some bushes.

After preparing the tongah and fashioning the aegjijian from a few Vale arrows that she picked up as she ran, she looked at the sun and squinted. From what she had learned of hunting, sunlight could turn a hunter from an indistinct shadowy figure into someone who could easily be seen from a distance. Even with a thick canopy, enough sunlight on her could make an easy mark for other bowmen or cause her prey to run away.

Mapping out her area, she found some large boulders and enough bushes and trees to hide herself. Putting the tongah on her bow and readying her first aegijian, she kept her ears open and eyes peeled while steadying her breath. If these Vale bowmen were good, they would know to follow her tracks, which she left behind purposefully. But she was also careful to erase any others that would compromise her location.

Rhaenys had to remember that she was no longer hunting traditional game. Although animals had more developed senses than people, people could strike back and cause her harm. The key to her survival consequently lied in her ability to kill her attackers and preventing them from landing a mark on her. _Take it easy, _she told herself. _You trained for this. It's just another hunt._

All of a sudden, she picked up the faint sound of a footfall on the dirt. Sensing where it came from, she turned to her right and readied her tongah. Taking in more deep breaths and slowing her heart rate, she remembered from Arata that if she calmed herself enough, she could hear the breathing of a man, and her ears picked it up. _They're running from how heavy their breaths sound._

Sure enough, one Vale archer was running fast through the brushes, grunting as he jumped down from a small boulder and moving past Rhaenys without noticing her. But there were more coming, from what she could pick up with her ears.

The first archer, covered in chainmail, was followed by a group of four. When it came to hunting, one would need many in order to cover as much ground as possible, not too much where the hunting area gets crowded and thus scaring the prey. _There are probably more groups coming._

Hearing a twig snap to her left, she turned and saw another group of Vale bowmen moving rapidly through the trees. _Second group._

Looking ahead, she spotted yet another group coming her way, but they were taking their time and looking through the bushes carefully.

_Fifteen men, three angles… let's do this._

Drawing her bow, she raised the tongah towards the rear man of the second group. Carefully aiming, she released the arrow, the small arrow moving rapidly through the bushes and lodging itself in the ankle. The man cried out in pain as he fell to the dirt.

As expected, the others were alerted and took cover behind the trees and bushes. While the man wasn't dead, he couldn't move anymore and could not point to where Rhaenys was. But taking precautions, she moved to another spot to get a better angle.

Readying another aegijian, she scanned the area and saw a man on the far left of the third group. She released another, hitting the man in his eye.

"Someone! Where is she?!" one of the Vale archers shouted.

"I can't tell. She's not using regular arrows!"

Rhaenys went for the least obvious targets, as the first instinct was to find the front man or whoever was giving commands. But guessing that these men were expert bowmen and very knowledgeable of hunting, she would be spotted as soon as she went for the most noticeable of marks. Also, hitting the rear man maximized her chances of not being discovered.

Nocking one more aegijian, she went for the rear man of the first group she encountered, piercing his throat after she released it.

"This bitch! She's gonna pay!" one of the bowmen shouted in desperation.

_My gods, such short tempers, _she thought dismissively.

Rhaenys also had to make sure that every arrow resulted in a kill, while her first target was meant to attract anyone who might help him. Observing the wounded Valemen closely, she saw one of them trying to drag him into cover. Pulling out a regular arrow, she nocked it, drew back as hard as she could, and released. The arrows she used were specifically designed to pierce plate armor and she could only guess what that would do to chainmail.

To her shock, not only did the arrow punch through the chainmail, it entered the wounded man and the one trying to drag him to safety, killing them both while lodging in a tree back. _A double kill… that's something I never expected._

"Shit! Find her now!"

As Rhaenys was moving to another spot, she just missed by struck by an arrow hurling her way. _Oh no._

"Got her! Over there!"

Seeing that her position was compromised, she put away her tongah, raised herself from the bushes, and released a regular arrow, finding its mark in the heart of a Valemen. She managed to jump behind some boulders as arrows bounced off the stone.

"Let's go! After her!"

Emerging from the boulder, she released another arrow and claimed another kill, but one arrow bounced off of her shoulder plate. Knowing that the enemy would close in on her if she remained in one place, she ran into the trees again.

However, one of the Vale bowmen got close enough and tried to force her into the ground. Thinking quickly, she unsheathed her Valyrian steel dagger and slashed across this throat, his body just barely missing hers as it fell onto forest floor. But she ducked just as quickly, as more arrows were released against her.

With the enemy hot on her tail, she ran further into the forest, shooting arrows in response as the Valemen tried to close the distance. It was getting difficult for her to do so, as her babe added much weight. But fortunately for her, they were in quite difficult terrain and that bought her time, as the Valemen struggled to reach her.

When she looked forward, she heard a whistle. Quickly scanning the trees and bushes, she saw the form of Bethany Mormont, who gestured to her behind a shrub. Quickly moving there, she sat beside the Lady of Bear Island.

"Everyone is ready?" Rhaenys asked her.

"Yes, Your Grace. We're waiting for your signal."

"Where's Brandon?"

"Engaged with their cavalry. You could almost hear them from here."

With more footfalls coming their way, Rhaenys could see the remains of the group that she had engaged. Bethany unsheathed Longclaw while the twenty or so Mormont men drew their swords and axes. They were positioned around the Vale group, waiting to strike.

Standing up, Rhaenys drew yet another arrow and released, getting another kill. Seeing the signal, Bethany emerged from the bushes, as did the other Mormont men. She let out a war cry alongside the others as they collided into the unsuspecting archery group.

Bethany cut through three bows, leaving the three archers unarmed, as she proceeded to stab one, decapitate another, and bring Longclaw down like a hammer, splitting the last one's skull. With depleted numbers and thoroughly exhausted from the pursuit, it didn't take long for the rest of the Vale bowmen to be killed by fresh troops.

Surveying the carnage, Rhaenys and Bethany led the Mormont men towards the sound of the other fight. Stepping carefully through the loose rocks and moving quickly through the bushes and trees, they finally came across the struggle, as more northmen and Vale mountain clansmen were stuck in a vicious struggle against more bowmen and knights in heavy armor.

Pulling out another armor-piercing arrow, she felled one knight, knocking him off of his horse. Bethany charged forward with Longclaw, running a knight's mount and causing it to fall onto its side, crushing the knight's leg before Bethany finished him off.

Rhaenys continued to hurl arrows into the mix, as she wasn't as skilled in close combat as her other siblings and thus had to remain at a distance for her own safety. She then spotted Brandon and Autumn, the direwolf ripping a bowman into shreds with his jaw while Brandon was about to pull the poleaxe from a dismounted knight.

But she saw an archer draw his bow and take aim at Brandon. Seeing that he was an important target, the archer was not going to waste his shot at glory. However, Rhaenys was not going to let that happen, even though she couldn't get a direct line of sight.

It was then that she remembered what Konno Haru taught her. Aiming her bow away from the archer, she twisted her arrow and curled the string. Konno said that it was a trick that would allow her to shoot at a curved angle and at an indirect mark, but it was not to be used constantly as it caused strain on the bowstring.

Twisting as hard as her fingers and palm would allow, Rhaenys then released the arrow. To her surprise, it curved and went straight through the sides of the archer's neck, killing him before he could shoot an arrow at Brandon. While Brandon was too busy to notice, Rhaenys let out an exhale, feeling a rush at what she had just accomplished.

With the forest and mountain working against them, the Vale archers and knights were slowly but surely overwhelmed. A few were able to retreat, but the forest floor was littered with dead Valemen and horses. The northmen and Vale mountain clansmen began to pile the bodies while stripping off their armor, weapons, and anything else that could be useful.

Rhaenys walked through the bloodbath of the aftermath. She didn't know how successful her plan would have been, but this went beyond her expectations. _Visenya is still the warrior between us two, _she reminded herself. _She could easily accomplish this on a very good day._

Brandon and Autumn moved next to her, the bastard son of Harald Stark covered in blood and dirt while Autumn's jaw was lined with red.

"You did it, Rhaenys. You showed to all that you don't need a dragon to be deadly," Brandon said with glee.

"But I want to ride again," Rhaenys thought of Meraxes. "I'm getting a little tired of all this waiting around."

"We won't have to wait for long," Brandon promised. "With their missile troops and mounted troops decimated, the army at Heart's Home will either have to step back or fight us on our own terms. Either way, we now have all of the advantages."

"At the same time, we also have to work on getting more clans on our side. I think you and Sijurn should approach the other chiefs. It'll send a message to the rest of the Vale," Rhaenys told him.

"Will get right on it, Rhaenys. I also think we should more closely coordinate with your sister in the Vale proper. She's fulfilling her purpose, and now would be a good time to really put pressure," Brandon suggested.

Rhaenys smiled at that, as she would see her sister again after a long while. "I like that, Brandon. Send a message to her and Lord Umber."

"As you wish. And now, we must strike the Eyrie. We can also go after Heart's Home if you want to."

Rhaenys looked southwards, towards the mountains that had the Eyrie built upon them. She couldn't see it, but she could sense the triumph that will soon come. _Patience, _she thought to herself. _If the timing is right, we can take the Eyrie with no casualties? _But the how was what bugged her.

Just then, an idea popped into her mind. "In your message, Brandon, have Visenya send another to Jae. He might have an idea on how to storm the Eyrie."

Brandon quickly picked up what she was referring to. "You mean the Harus?"

Rhaenys nodded, as the basics of a plan as daring as hers that day was forming. _Either this will work very well, or very badly. But we have to try._

**A/N: The arrow scene was inspired by the Korean movie WAR OF THE ARROWS (2011), which is one of the my favorite films of the past decade. I also had to research the techniques used by hunters, which was not easy to write in simple terms (it's a science onto itself). Hope it worked well. **

**I wanted to show you all one of the peaks of Rhaenys' skill with the bow and to detail her thought processes. Also, the tongah is a real device and I suggest you all to look it up. She's not skilled with a sword, but she thoroughly compensates with cold calculation and expert use of hunting aspects to draw in the enemy. I also wanted to show how much her courage had grown, as that stunt of hers in appearing in front of an enemy camp was really audacious. As it was stated, no queen before Rhaenys had ever done that. **

**Whatever Rhaenys is thinking of, it's going to be just as bold. But what would it be? **

**Next, we see the stormlands making another important move. **


	54. Orys VI

**A/N: Hey guys! Hope you guys are healthy and safe still! **

**Since I was on vacation, I had to quickly hurry to write up this chapter. Have to maintain my routine, after all. Hope this will meet expectations! **

ORYS VI

Orys put his hand on the railing of his ship. He didn't go for any fancy names for a vessel of his use like other vain captains, deciding only on "Fire Antler." The name might not have said much, but it suited his purpose and helped further symbolize the union of the dragon and stag to the rest of the captains.

Orys knew that he would be leading his ships on an unprecedented voyage around Dorne towards the southern shores of the Reach, with Oldtown as their ultimate destination. It all served the purpose of ensuring that the enemy remained off-balance, as the sight of his vessels just within striking distance of their largest port would force them to reposition their troops and also bring fear to the population. _We have to show that we can be anywhere, dragons or no dragons. _It also served the purpose of cutting off any hope of escape and resupply that the sea might offer the Reachmen, as they won't be able to send out their merchant ships without running the risk of being sunk.

However, Orys had to assemble his fleet carefully. Bringing galleys was out of the question. Even though they were swift and maneuverable, the crews required frequent stops for food and water. Not only was Dorne a neutral territory, it was mostly desert and had no ports to even dock at, so any ship that Orys would bring had to sail nonstop. _We might sacrifice speed, but we can keep moving._

The type of watercraft that Orys had to include in his fleet were cogs, carracks, and longships.

Cogs were mostly propelled by sails, which made them difficult to sail, especially upwind, and they were affected by breezes and currents in a way that a swift galley was not. However, cogs could better manage rough seas and its small crew and ample storage space gave it greater freedom of movement, making it perfect for trade or equipment transport. In this case, Orys planned to store as much provisions, weapons, and men as he could fit on them.

Carracks was the type of ship that Orys sought the most for his fleet. It was large enough to be stable in heavy seas and could carry a large cargo and the provisions needed for very long voyages. It usually had square rigs on the foremast and mainmast and a lateen rig, or triangular sail, on the aft mast. They had a high rounded stern with a large stern section, the upper deck, and bowsprit at the stem. Compared to the cog, the carrack was a more superior type of boat and would last very long on the high seas. However, it was more difficult to build than the cog and given the resources that Orys had at his disposal, the carracks would have to be part of the Orys' personal component, as they could be used to turn the tide on the seas if necessary.

Orys decided to incorporate the longship into his fleet. Primarily used by the ironborn, they were long, narrow, light, wooden craft with a shallow-draft hull designed for speed. The ship's shallow draft allowed navigation in waters that were only one meter deep and permitted beach landings, while its light weight enabled it to be carried over land journeys from one anchorage to the next. Longships were also double ended, the symmetrical bow and stern allowing the ship to reverse direction quickly without having to turn around. This trait proved particularly useful at northern latitudes where icebergs and sea ice posed hazards to navigation. Longships were fitted with oars along almost the entire length of the boat itself. In short, it was a very efficient design that Orys was not going to just ignore.

But Orys knew that he would most likely fight the ironborn as soon as he reached the southern shores of the Reach, and they would have a better understanding of the longship than he could ever hope for. If he wanted to incorporate that ship into his fleet, he needed to make some modifications to better suit it for his use. Consulting with Daemon Velaryon and the ironborn defectors, he went over the design of the longship.

"If you plan to take on the ironborn on the high seas, you need to be faster, more armed to the teeth, and sink more of their ships than they would yours," Daemon told Orys. "At the same time, all of the ships that you will take with you also have to fight the fleet that can be gathered by the Redwynes at the Arbor. In any conventional fight, your odds against the naval might of the Arbor are stacked against anyone."

"I can guess that," Orys agreed. "If I were to install missile weapons on the decks of my ships, would that give me a better chance against them?"

"That would only buy you time, Orys. When it comes down to it, all battles on the seas are as much determined by the sword as on land. Just remember that in any case, you will be heavily outnumbered and possibly outmatched by the combined might of the Redwynes and the ironborn," Daemon outlined.

"I wouldn't worry so much about the ironborn and the Redwynes working closely together. They only are joining hands because the Faith told the Arbor to do so, but that will not erase the amount of bad blood between them, especially since they are rivals on the sea," Orys pointed out.

"That maybe the case, but you're still outnumbered, and you have to last as long as you can if you are to win. We all know the results that will come if you do, but just understand that it will be difficult, maybe near impossible for you to achieve such an outcome."

"Understood," Orys acknowledged. "The reason why I called you and the others here today is to discuss how I can adapt the longship to my purposes. Once that's been covered, we can begin to discuss how we can fight both the Redwynes and the ironborn when battle is upon us."

"Lord Orys," one of the ironborn spoke up. "I, alongside the others in this room, are grateful for your kindness and generosity in allowing us to live and serve another purpose. Being on the greenlands has taught us much about how to life differently and I believe that I speak for everyone in that we will give you the best advice possible in order to counter King Darvin."

Orys nodded his thanks. "I thank you."

"With that said, you have to consider the purpose of the longship. It was made to transport reavers over long distances in any type of water and to engage other crews in close combat as fast as possible," the ironborn defector continued. "But if you want to have a chance at fighting our brethren, we have to rethink the design of the longship. We still want to transport troops over the sea, but we also have to make the vessel into one that can sink others as well."

"What did you have in mind?" Orys leaned in, interested.

"To start with, we have to make the longship larger. The usual would be with thirty oars, but we'll have to increase to sixty. We must also build with high sides, which will increase the fighting capability of the ship rather than just pure navigation."

"But won't that make it just another galley, then?"

"With more men, you'll be able to last longer than a regular longship. And keep in mind. The main ship that the ironborn use against larger craft is the cog. If they will use longships in battle, it's mostly to outmaneuver larger ships like the cog and carrack while getting close enough to board. You want ships to counter them and that is what our type of longship will accomplish."

"You're implying that a certain type of ship is not enough to defeat the ironborn on the high seas?" Orys asked.

"If you want to beat any formidable foe on the sea, you have to out-sail them. That would include developing new type of craft, but that's only part of how you would win," the ironborn defector told him.

Realizing that he needed more ideas, Orys turned to the Haru man he also invited to the meeting. Named Taro Kajiwara, he was a cousin of both Arata and Kenzou Haru and one of Konno's relatives who fled the Golden Empire of Yi-Ti before his family was affected as part of the "guilt by association" policy. But unlike most of his Haru cousins, he could speak the common tongue very well, but with an accent. And the reason why Orys invited him was because he used to serve in the Yi-Ti fleet.

"Master Kajiwara, how would Yi-Ti conduct combat on the sea?" Orys asked.

"From my experiences, we mostly prefer to engage our enemies from a distance because we had certain weapons that would allow us to do so. But considering that this place doesn't have the resources to build such weapons yet, there is one type of craft that could be used to solve your particular quandaries," Kajiwara began with.

"And what would that be?"

Kajiwara then explained in great detail of a certain type of craft from Yi-Ti developed to counter pirates that raided commerce routes. The ship was called a "turtle boat", which was named after the steel plating that would protect its crew and resemble that of a turtle shell. It was typically a hundred to hundred and twenty feet long and was made of wooden pegs, matching indentations, and interlocking teeth. Most ships were made with a combination of wood and metal, but the metal nails would rust and later snap after several moments of exposure to seawater. _That's quite an innovation._

Realizing that most of those who attended the meeting would be unable to visualize the ship, Kajiwara took the time to draw it out from his memory. Both Daemon Velaryon and the ironborn defectors watched closely, as the turtle boat was outline on the paper before all of them.

Orys himself watched as the ship took shape. He could see that on the bow of the vessel a head resembling that of a phoenix, which Kajiwara described as the symbol of the emperor, was mounted there. He said that sulfur smoke was released from the phoenix head to effectively hide its movement from the enemy in short distance combat. The phoenix head, which was considered the most distinguishing feature of the vessel, was large enough to fit a missile weapon inside it. The phoenix head served as a way to frighten the enemy in combat, with the aim of striking fear into the hearts of enemy sailors. Early versions of the turtle ship would burn poisonous materials in the dragon's head to release a poisonous smoke, which would add to the fear that pirates would have of it.

In the front of the ship was a large anchor. Below the anchor was a wooden crest that was shaped like a face, and these were used to ram into enemy ships.

In line with the standard design of Yi-Ti naval ships, the turtle boat had two masts and two sails. Oars were also used for maneuvering and increasing speed. Another advantage the turtle ship had was that it could turn on its own radius, which even the longship couldn't do. _This is getting more and more interesting._

The turtle ship had 10 oars and portholes on each side, from which missiles could be released through and even spears if an enemy ship got too close. Usually, there was one porthole in the phoenix head's mouth, from which the gas would be released. There were two more portholes on the front and back of the turtle ship. The portholes allowed the crew to use special wooden bolts several feet in length, with specially designed iron fins, to be released via mounted ballista. These bolts would carry enough power to cause large holes in the hull of a ship. As for the crew itself, the complement usually comprised about fifty to sixty warriors and seventy oarsmen, as well as the captain.

Kajiwara then drew what looked like spikes on top of the ship. He said that the sharp iron spikes protruded from hexagonal plates covering the top of the turtle ship. An advantage of the closed deck was that it protected the sailors and fighters from enemy missiles and other types of projectiles. The spikes discouraged pirates and enemy sailors from engaging in the primary method of sea combat, which was to grapple an enemy ship with hooks and then board it to engage the crew in hand-to-hand combat.

All in all, Kajiwara drew the outline of what looked to be a maneuverable ship, capable of sudden bursts of speed. The turtle boat featured a U-shaped hull which gave it the advantage of a more stable platform for releasing missile, and the ability to turn within its own radius was useful to attack enemies by spinning at the same spot using either bows or other missile weapons mounted on the four sides of the turtle ship, as they all needed time to reload. However, Kajiwara stated that the main disadvantage of a U-shaped bottom versus a V-shaped bottom was a somewhat slower cruising speed, and he said that the turtle boat was most useful in coastline battles.

Kajiwara stated that as the centuries passed, the Yi-Ti navy implemented some structural changes as opposed to earlier versions. For example, more recent versions of the turtle boat had a higher bulwark height. This alteration in the design was made so that more bulwark slots could be added. In turn, these slots could be used for additional weaponry or ventilation for the crew. Early versions of the turtle boat also had overlapping planks on the deck structure, while later versions had the deck of the vessel covered with flush, hexagonal plates made of wood or iron. What didn't change was that in both versions, it was incredibly fast and maneuverable, as it was could be propelled by both oar and sail. Most importantly, the spikes remained, meaning that that this was a proven strategy to repel boarders.

"But Master Kajiwara," Daemon looked over the design in amazement. As a born sailor, he was always on the lookout for new ship designs and before him was a novel idea. But as someone who commanded much experience from the sea, he also was aware of any potential weaknesses new ship designs might have. "You say that this would only be useful in coast battles. How would this fare in an actual battle between ships on the high seas?"

"You'll be hard pressed to find a vessel more maneuverable and sturdier than the one you're looking at," Kajiwara stated.

"I could only imagine how expensive this type of vessel must be," the ironborn defector noted. "Not only do you have to use particular types of wood to make this ship possible, you also need to cover the top of the deck with iron. No ship that I am aware of requires this much metal and this would require more iron that would usually be seen."

"I admit that it's quite a price to meet, considering the materials and specific design of this ship," Kajiwara shrugged. "However, this type of ship will be incredibly difficult to sink. Most importantly, nobody would dare to board it, unless they like to have their bodies pierced with spikes."

"Master Kajiwara, this is quite something," Orys could say. "But as good as this ship is, I have to also make my fleet as cost effective as possible. Surely, the navy you served in wasn't dominated by these 'turtle boats.'"

"No," Kajiwara admitted. "For every twenty ships that the fleet had, they had one. But they proved quite effective against pirates. Now considering those ratios, you have to see just how deadly this ship is."

Orys rubbed his chin in thought. The more Kajiwara talked about this ship, the more he really wanted it. At the same time, he could afford to make only one of these, maybe two if time and resources allow, and they could only be used for shock attacks. Also, he never seen them in action before and was thus skeptical of what they could actually accomplish in battle.

Then again, Orys needed all the help he could get, and he wouldn't be able to confidently take on the combined might of the Arbor and the ironborn unless he had a trick or two up his sleeve. _This might be it._

"Master Kajiwara, I hereby direct you to oversee the construction of this ship," Orys urged. "Build another, if you can. Once completed, I intend to make it my flagship, to show my trust in his input."

"Orys, you sure that's a good idea?" Daemon might have also liked it, but he was more unsure. "We haven't seen this type of ship in Westeros before."

"Many things have not been seen in Westeros before we came. No harm in adding more," Orys shrugged. "You got any better ideas on how we could fight an enemy that will for sure outnumber us?"

Daemon had nothing to say to that. As for the ironborn, Orys told them to start building the ships as the lead defector suggested.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Erik, my lord," the defector answered.

"Well, Erik, if all goes well on the seas, I intend to make you a lord. You will also be entitled to a small portion of the spoils of war that will be collected when this is over," Orys promised.

"I… thank you, my lord," Erik bowed.

"Let's get to work," Orys commanded.

While his brothers were winning in the Reach and his sisters were giving the Vale quite the beating, Orys oversaw the additions to his fleet.

But he also found time to return to Storm's End. As the household bowed before their lord paramount, Argella was out to greet him. His heart felt at ease upon seeing her warm smile, and he himself was grinning as they embraced in front of their servants. Kissing her forehead, she went with him back into Storm's End, her arm wrapped around his own, and they went to the solar in the castle's large and only tower, where he found an elaborately arranged meal waiting for him.

"What is this?" Orys turned to his wife.

"A victor must always come home to nice meal," Argella guided Orys to his seat. "And you're about to sail soon, so you must also have good food before facing the rigors of the sea again." She kissed his cheek as she sat across him.

As the lord of the castle, Orys had first choice on all cuts of meat, sweets, and wine. But after cutting a slice of roasted auroch, he gave it to Argella, who was surprised.

"A lord doesn't eat after his lady wife," Argella lightly reminded him, but she wasn't rejecting it.

"You prepared this meal, Argella. It's only right that you have the first taste," Orys shrugged.

After also getting his cut of auroch, Orys poured Arbor gold into their goblets. "To us," he proclaimed.

"To us," she answered with a large smile as they clinked their goblets.

Orys and Argella spent the next hour in each other's company over the dinner table, with a band of bards and musicians keeping the air lively. Although it was their own private time, it felt like a feast and Orys enjoyed every second of it.

Argella wore a dress in bright red and yellow, which certainly fit the mood that filled the solar. Her black hair was loose and flowed past her shoulders, and her skin was just as white as when he first saw her. But as his eyes looked down from her dazzling face, away from her powerful blue eyes, past her red lips, and her strong but lean neck, he noticed that she was wearing a necklace made up of tiny Valyrian steel rings and lined with dragon heads. The centerpiece of the necklace was the dragonstag of their new house, with tiny ruby eyes and topaz mouth that resembled fire.

"Do you like it?" Argella noticed his eyes gazing upon it.

"Yeah," Orys shook himself out of the trance. "How did you get it?"

"I sent a letter to Lord Rahitheon. I told him that you asked for a necklace that would symbolize the union of the dragon and the stag and that it had to be made of Valyrian steel and the finest jewels," Argella told him.

"You said that I asked him to do it?" Orys clearly didn't remember that.

"I had to… take some liberties in order to get what I wanted. Can't say that I blame the Rahitheons for still holding a grudge against me, considering what my father did to their relative," Argella shrugged.

_Clever, _Orys thought approvingly. "I'll talk to Lord Rahitheon about it. Glad that he fulfilled a request in my name, but that he has to move on."

"I wouldn't push too hard on him. He might be stubborn in some cases, but he's a good craftsman and engineer. Wouldn't do us any good if we were to incur his anger."

Orys sighed before he drank from his goblet. "I really like it, Argella. But what prompted you to get it made?"

Argella rubbed the necklace in thought before setting her fork and knife down. "I just thought it would be time for me to really express my peace with my current station. A few of the household were still skeptical of me accepting you as the lord of this castle and one of them even told me that he would be willing to support me if I wanted to take back what was mine."

Orys blinked. "Who said that?"

"The head cook, out of all people," Argella shook her head with indifference.

He felt his fist tighten at the thought of one of their servants daring to talk treason in her face. "He really said that?"

"Of course, I had to warn him in unequivocal terms to never speak in such a way again. I also reminded him that since you did claim Storm's End on the field of battle, this castle was yours. But more importantly, you never abused me or tried to dishonor what my father left behind and that you were the best one to carry out the Durrandon legacy."

"I'm guessing that didn't work?" Orys could tell from how she spoke of that servant.

"When he still remained obstinate, I had him thrown in the cells. He's still there."

"Why didn't you kill him? He said that he would commit treachery and that is enough to warrant his head on a spike," Orys wanted to go down to the cells and do the deed himself.

"I wanted to hear your words on what should be done with him. But I also want to show you that I am loyal to you and to our new house."

Orys' face softened. "You don't have to do anything more. If there is someone who must do that, it's me. I didn't build this castle."

"I am not showing it to you. I am showing it in front of the others. No matter what you do, perception matters and the problem with the head cook might not go away unless they truly understand the new state of things," Argella explained.

"Ah," Orys bobbed his head, now seeing her thoughts, and sighing. "I guess what we feel about each other is not enough. We have to show others that."

"Is there a problem?" Argella's face revealed surprise. "You said before that you are better with me at your side and I did show you that I had affections for you. What's the harm in showing others how happy we are?"

Orys conceded. But then, an important issue came to his mind. "Argella?"

"Hmm?" she gave him her full attention.

"It's been nearly a year since we were married. And my father broached the subject with me, but I didn't want to push you. However, since you talked about perception, I felt that… we might need to consider the next steps," Orys was trying to approach it as delicately as he could.

However, Argella was not having it. "Orys, if you have something, please just say it. Do not beat around the bush."

"It's true on what you said. Everyone should see how happy we are, but you're not with child yet," Orys didn't want to come off the wrong way and was really hoping that she didn't misinterpret his intentions.

Argella leaned back against her chair. "Do you want to have children with me?"

"I do," Orys stated honestly. "I don't want to burden you, but since we both a house to attend to, we have to make sure that there are those of our blood that will be here long after we're gone. Egg and Rhae will have their child, and so will Vis and Jae. And if you're not pregnant after a while, people will start asking questions."

"I know all of that. But I'm asking you directly," Argella leaned on the table. "Do you want to have children with me?"

Orys took in a breath and exhaled, before nodding. "Yes, I do."

"Why?"

Orys became a little agitated. "Do you doubt my intentions, Argella?"

"It's not that. I want to hear your reasons for wanting to be a father. Nothing political, nothing material. Just your thoughts," Argella explained.

Now that he thought about it, Orys never saw himself as a father. He would undoubtedly have a hard time explaining to his family and to his bannermen why he didn't have an heir. But more deeply, he didn't want to force himself on Argella despite how strong their bond had become in the past months.

As he opened his mouth, he was not going to let himself think so hard. Whatever came from his heart would pass through his lips. _Let that be enough._

"Children only know of one father and one mother. I never knew my mother apart from her being a bastard daughter of House Celtigar, but my father took me in when my grandsire refused to acknowledge me. Even though I was a bastard, to my father and to my siblings, I was just his son and their brother. Because of them, I had a family and I grew up knowing what love looked like. But I think I took it for granted."

"Why did you take it for granted?" Argella cocked her head at him, more curious.

"I spent much of my free time outside of the training yard whoring at Dragonstone's brothel without realizing the consequences. The gods were kind enough to prevent any pregnancies from my many… sordid dalliances. As I thought more on it, however, I reflected on what my father did. Despite me being a bastard and despite my visits to the brothel, he still loved me. He might not have liked it, but he accepted it. That was when I truly felt part of the family."

Argella put her chin on her raised knuckles as she rested her elbows on the table.

"If I had any children, I want to them to feel the same love that I received from my father," Orys continued. "Maybe love is seeing all of the flaws in another and not only accepting them, but I hold them dear no matter what. That's the kind of bond that I want to have with my children. And I want to pass on my experiences, because there is no point in having them if I won't share them with others."

Argella's face relaxed considerably. Orys was still unsure if his words had any effect on her, but he felt like a huge weight was lifted off of his heart, one that he didn't know existed.

"You know, Orys. That reminds me of one time that my father talked to me about what others told him about his own succession."

It was then that Orys still noticed that the band was still playing. Gesturing them to leave the solar and thanking them for their performance, he looked into her eyes. "You were saying?"

"Everyone still remembers him as the warrior king that led armies into battle ever since he was a child, but no one but me saw him as a father. He had so much guilt after not being by my mother's side and many of his bannermen were offering either their daughters or their sisters as replacements, hoping that he could have a son and a male heir. They couldn't understand when he said no, and at the time, I didn't," Argella divulged.

"What made you understand him?"

"He told me, and I remember his exact words, 'I lost the love of my life, your mother. While she was alive, I could fulfill all of the duties required of a father and provide the love that my child deserved. But you should understand that there could only be one person who will be the other half of your soul, and that died when your mother died. And I don't want a second wife to experience the lack of warmth that I will give her, and I cannot promise that I will love any children begotten by her. The only one who got everything that I could ever give was you, and no one else will.'"

As she revealed that story, Orys could see a few tears drop from her eyes. He immediately stood up from his seat and sat next to her, taking her hands in his.

"No matter how much pain I had suffered because I was his only heir and a woman, what he said to me made all of that become insignificant. I received all of his love and that's more than what anyone could hope for. You say that you want to be like your father. So do I."

Orys pulled her into a hug, feeling her tears fall as he shushed her. "Thank you, Argella. I didn't know about that side of your father, and I'm glad you told me. Shows that he was indeed a great man."

Argella looked up into his eyes. "So… now we both know what unconditional love is, and I agree with you. It should be passed on."

"What are you saying?" Orys wanted her to say it.

"I am saying that I also want to have children with you. I just needed to hear your reasons for wanting to become a father, and now I know that our children will be in very good hands."

Orys smiled before Argella brought her lips to his and they shared a kiss in the solar. As it became deeper, their tongues danced with each other and he felt himself overwhelmed by the pleasure that gave him. Their hands felt each other's bodies, his hands gliding over her graceful back and hers running over his shoulder blades.

But before their kiss became more intense, she pulled back from him. "What was that for?" Orys felt robbed of the moment.

"You know what? I think I found a way to keep you tied to me. You're just going to have keep winning and come back to me alive," Argella moved away and moved her legs onto their seat, her feet just inches away from his own legs. All the while, he began to notice something that he never expected to see. Her smile turned sultry as she puffed her chest, the lining of her bosom revealed through her red and yellow dress.

Then, she did something that he went beyond his expectations. She pulled up her hem over her bent knees and widened them. He felt his eyes widen as he saw that she wore no smallclothes and thus, her opening was exposed to him.

Orys gulped. "Was this your intention?"

"I was considering it when we went to our chambers tonight, but I couldn't wait to show you what you will have," Argella was trying very hard to tempt her husband.

Without thinking, Orys saw his hands move towards her opening, wanting to insert his fingers in there as he did in the brothel on Dragonstone. But before he got close, Argella sat back up, closed her legs, and pushed his forehead away with her fingers. "Ah, ah, ah," she shook her head with a smirk. "I will only give you my maidenhead, truly, after you come back alive. Figured that would be good motivation, and I won't be like the whores on Dragonstone that you know well. Everything has a price after all."

Orys groaned in sadness, the opportunity to finally touch his wife in her intimate places denied. At the same time, he felt ready to rise to her challenge. "All right. We'll do it your way then. When we meet again, I will touch you there."

"When we meet again, I will give you more than that," Argella counteroffered.

_So, that's how it's going to be. _"You promise?" She nodded while keeping her luscious smile. _This is a very different side to her, one that I had never expected._

They laid together that night, but only in each other's arms. Orys knew that Argella wanted to take things a step further, but with the promise, he was going to respect her maidenhead until she willingly gave it.

Orys remembered the last night they spent in each other's embrace, a step away from full intimacy but a step closer to it, as he watched the ocean pass by his ship.

Upon full inspection and after getting all troops and ships readied, Orys had about seventy ships under his command, which had about than five thousand men and two troops for every one crewman. And two were the turtle boats that Orys had commissioned, but he had Master Kajiwara replace with phoenix heads with dragon heads to better portray who the ships fought for.

Although Orys wanted to make one of the turtle boats his flagship and had announced it so, he realized that he needed to be seen by the other captains and crews if he wanted to be an effective commander. But he kept the turtle boats close to his flagship, as they would personally sail with him into battle.

With the corsair threat from the Stepstones largely quiet from his earlier action, it was mostly quiet as they sailed around Dorne towards the southern shores of the Reach. But the tense moment of the voyage came when the fleet was within sight of Sunspear. Although Dorne had no navy courtesy of Nymeria burning her ten thousand ships, any wrong move on his part could spark a conflict with Dorne, which was what they didn't need. Moreover, the Dornish could very do some damage on land in response, which would cause some serious complications to the campaign elsewhere.

"Do not go past ten miles of Sunspear and their shores, coxswain," Orys ordered. "We don't want any entanglement with the Dornishmen."

"Aye, my lord," the coxswain complied.

Orys then signaled to the rest of the fleet to do the same. Given the stormlanders' animosity with the Dornish, at least a few of the captains would be tempted to provoke them. However, they had bigger fish to fry at the moment and they all followed his orders.

Orys tapped his fingers nervously on the railing. What stumped him was that the Dornish, despite being followers of the Faith, had not involved themselves in the war. But whatever their reasons, none of them could be good. And Orys had heard rumors of the reputation of the Yellow Toad of House Martell. _We don't need to fight her at the moment._

Miraculously, nothing happened as the fleet passed by Sunspear. Orys would have to report this to the rest of the family, as the Dornishmen could have easily attacked him. And the worry would not stop until they sailed clear of Dorne.

For the next few weeks, all Orys could see as they sailed was more sand. On the bright side, that was their marker and would allow them to navigate all the way around.

But more importantly, Orys began to prepare himself for the trials ahead. This would not be like the Stepstones. He would fighting those who had more experience on the sea than he had and they would most definitely be outnumbered. On the other hand, he knew that he had two advantages on his side.

First, the Redwynes and the ironborn would most likely not cooperate with each other. Second, out of the hundreds of ships they both could amass, only a handful were actual warships while the rest were merchanters. As for Orys, every ship was built for combat and all carried their own provisions. Also, they would attempt to engage from a distance using missiles, but all of the crews were trained for close combat. _Let that be enough, _Orys hoped.

But for extra measure, he sent an approximate time to all of the family, including his father, that he would arrive at the mouth of the Torrentine, the major river of Dorne. From there, it would take only a few days to sail to the Arbor. On the off chance that they encountered no resistance, they would drop anchor outside of both Blackcrown and the Three Towers, as the two castles controlled the entrance to the Honeywine, on which Oldtown stood.

_Once they got the message, at least one of them will fly on their dragon to help me. I might need some fire to help even the odds. _Orys had to prepare for every eventuality, since he could not take any chances.

"Land sighted, my lord!" one of the crew shouted.

Running onto the deck, Orys plucked out his far-eye and looked in the direction of the finger of the ship's lookout. Scanning the sea, he then spotted a forested island with a port and ships coming out of it. Looking closer, he saw a banner with the grape cluster against a blue field, the unmistakable sigil of House Redwyne.

"Signal the fleet! Be ready to engage!" Orys shouted to the crew.

Although he could see no ships around the Arbor, that didn't mean that they weren't there. If not at the Arbor, it would further north.

_Please protect us, _he prayed. _And the rest of you, please hurry._

**A/N: Didn't expect Argella to be so... voluptuous, huh? Here's to Orys fulfilling his promise and getting back to Argella safely ;) **

**The turtle boat is an actual ship from Korean history and has been used very effectively, but for obvious reasons, had to substitute the cannons for weapons more fitting of the period in Westeros. **

**And I wanted to add more backstory for Argella, which will strengthen the bond between Orys and her. **

**Even though Orys finally made it to the Arbor, that's only the beginning. He's got a bigger challenge ahead of him. **

**Next, things get closer to the first climax in the Conquest. **


	55. Mern II

**A/N: Hi, guys! Hope you are all doing well and staying safe and healthy! **

**I'm about to get a lot busier with stuff going on, so this might be last week for two chapters per week. I'm not saying that I won't do it, as I will try to keep up when I have the time, but be prepared. Thanks for understanding!**

MERN II

Mern sat across Prince Seamus Lannister, the heir to King Loren, in the solar of Cider Hall. The King of the Reach was surprised when the heir to the most senior line of House Lannister had appeared at his army's encampment with five thousand men, all of whom traveled the Ocean Road from Crakehall towards Highgarden. After being treated to the hospitality of his capital, with his wife and queen Victaria acting as a most gracious host, Seamus marched to Cider Hall with his small army.

When asked on his reason for being there, Prince Seamus responded with, "My father had heard that you were struggling against the dragonspawn in your own lands, so he sent me to help."

Mern had known exactly what he meant by that, and the recent setbacks caused by Aegon Targaryen and Jaenyx Belaerys represented too great an opportunity for Loren to regain some of his authority after his own losses. The fact that he sent his son at the head of an army, no matter how small it was, hammered home that fact.

_But why five thousand? Why not more? _If Loren really wanted to assist him, he would have sent at least ten thousand men. Mern thought that maybe Loren wanted to protect his own kingdom and whatever lands he had left, but given how much has happened between them and the High Septon removing some favor from the King of the Rock, Loren Lannister must've deliberately held back his army so that the Reachmen would know the burden he had to shoulder in the first stages of the war. _That's something he would do, and his treatment of Orys Baratheon showed to all that he was not above petty._

And his heir showing up at Cider Hall, raised more questions, ones that he would ask soon.

"Good to finally make your acquaintance, Prince Seamus," Mern started.

"I'm honored to be in your presence, Your Grace," Seamus knew when to show respect, but he was a royal and thus did not grovel. _Good start._

"I must admit that your presence here is unexpected," Mern offered him some wine, which Seamus accepted. Clinking their cups, Mern carried on. "Not that I am unhappy at you being here with your troops, but I am not sure what prompted your father to send you all the way here."

"King Mern, my father has decided to send some troops he could spare to aid you right here in your kingdom," Seamus answered. "With the northern half of the Mander in enemy hands and the former Storm kingdom devoid of Reachmen, your position has become quite complicated."

"Nothing that I haven't reflected on," Mern shrugged. "I've already sent orders to raise more men, and the southern parts of my kingdom will send reinforcements."

"Led by Lord Hightower, Your Grace?"

"Correct," Mern confirmed.

"Is that a good idea?" Seamus asked, surprising Mern.

"What do you mean by that, Prince Seamus?" Mern was poor at hiding his emotions.

"The last that I have heard, Orys Baratheon, against all expectations, was able to sail around Dorne and was sighted off of the Arbor. Considering his reputation, Your Hightower, Lord Hightower would imperil his own seat of power if he left it undefended against the dragon bastard," Seamus told him.

"I know that, Prince Seamus. And I wouldn't worry about Oldtown being besieged. Even if most of the forces there have been removed, Orys Baratheon would not be able to storm the city without sufficient numbers and equipment, both of which he doesn't have. Also, he would face stiff resistance even if he did manage to storm the walls, which is only a slight possibility for the reasons I have just state, because he would have to fight the faithful. And that's only if he even got that far," Mern explained.

"What is this first obstacle facing Orys that you speak of, Your Grace?" Seamus inquired.

"He will have to face the Redwyne fleet, which is the finest navy in all of Westeros. Those from the stormlords only had one year to get used to the sea, while the men of the Arbor had centuries to master the ocean. Orys faces overwhelming odds by facing Lord Redwyne himself. With the ironborn ships added to their strength, the dragon bastard will face too many odds and will be defeated," Mern spoke confidently.

"I don't doubt that, Your Grace," Seamus agreed. "Then again, you'll also have to consider that Orys Baratheon also knows that fact, so he wouldn't have sailed to your shores if he didn't have something planned already. Considering his exploits despite being two fingers less, he's not someone to be trifled with."

"I have considered that, Prince Seamus," Mern nodded.

"Also, are you willing to trust the ironborn, of all people, to fight alongside Lord Redwyne, Your Grace? He might have the numbers, but knowing Orys Baratheon from what we have both seen, he'll put up a good fight and the ironborn are known to crack under the slightest pressure," Seamus pointed out.

"The ironborn have been causing me trouble as of late. If many of them die from Orys Baratheon's hand, I will have solved the problem by making sure that there are less of them in the world and thus making it easier to fight them when I will retaliate. Although… I'm sure the men of Lannisport have more reason than I do to take their revenge on them," Mern stated.

"Of course, King Loren," Seamus smiled. "If you want, my father is prepared to offer you a loan so that you can replace any losses you incurred on the high seas from Orys' hand. You just need to ask."

"Tell your father that I appreciate his offer, but I am not in need of his gold as of yet," Mern politely declined.

"Another question, if I may, Your Grace." Mern gestured for him to ask. "As I am the heir to my father's throne and have led troops to your camp here at Cider Hall, will I be given a place at your commanders' table? After all, the men of the Rock will not answer to anyone else but one of royal Lannister blood, so you need someone who can be privy to any planning in the field?"

_Is that your purpose here? Some nerve you got,_ Mern thought silently, but Loren wouldn't have sent his son and heir to feed him information only. "You'll have to prove yourself on the field alongside us, but I will see what I can do."

"I appreciate that, King Loren," Seamus nodded.

"And I must ask. What does your father, King Loren, intend to do with the riverlands? I've just heard that he appointed Weslar Reyne as his Warden of the Eastern Marches, even though his son is in the cells of Casterly Rock. Will he be trying to retake them soon?" Mern inquired.

"We have a responsibility to protect our vassals in the riverlands and we still hold Riverrun, so we possess a foothold from which to retake that region when the time comes," Seamus spoke. "However, the riverlands will not be our main focus at this point."

"Why is that?"

Seamus relaxed. "It seems as if the fight has been shifted elsewhere, mainly to this kingdom and the Vale. There is no point in taking over the riverlands, as it has changed hands three times and will undoubtedly have suffered a lot of damage. But as this war raged on, a few things have become clear in the enemy's strategy."

"What is that?"

"If the Reach falls, this war will balance towards the enemy's advantage, as they will control the breadbasket of Westeros. If the Vale falls, they'll have secured their entire eastern flank and thus be in a much better position to fight us. No offense to the Valemen and Sharra Arryn, but I'm not sure how long they'll last all by themselves," Seamus chuckled. "In addition, Queen Sharra is one of yours and I'm not sure if a woman from the land of flowers has the sufficient will to lead the mountain men of the Vale against the likes of Visenya Targaryen, Rhaenys Targaryen, and Torrhen Stark's bastard brother."

Mern brushed off Seamus' light insults, for he had grown used to the rest of Westeros not having a good opinion of the fighting capabilities of the Reach in general. _As if they know what it's like to deal with sorts from the Hightowers and so on. _"So, what are you trying to say, Prince Seamus?"

"My father, King Loren, has decided to reinforce you with an army and the force that I've brought with me is a token of his good will. He will then follow me with a larger army, which will be set to arrive in Highgarden, but of course, they will be awaiting your permission and your consent to our conditions," Seamus said.

Mern crossed his arms. "What sort of conditions? And how large is this army?"

"How does twenty-five thousand men sound to you, Your Grace?" Seamus posed.

_Twenty-five thousand? _With those numbers, he could shore up his gaps and be able to launch another offensive again. But before he got excited, he had to hear the conditions. "What is your father looking for?"

"The men that will support you in your kingdom will be part of the agreement that my father seeks with you, which is comparable to the one you tried to seek with Argella Baratheon for your son Edmund," Seamus drunk his wine.

Mern had some idea of what Seamus was referring to, but he wanted him to say it aloud. "Your father seeks a marriage with my family?"

"The men of the Rock will not fight alongside unless their rulers, their kings, are connected to you by marriage and by blood," Seamus continued. "And my father believes that a marriage contract between our two houses will further strengthen our bonds and help the Faith also."

There was only one daughter of House Gardener that was eligible, which made Mern more worried. "Your father seeks a union between yourself and my daughter, Princess Vevienne?"

"That's correct, Your Grace," Seamus confirmed. "You tried to incorporate the last of House Durrandon into your own house while gaining a foothold on Storm's End, but that didn't work out and now you've lost more troops trying to fight them. If a marriage occurred between myself and Princess Vevienne, the power of both of our families' crowns will be combined into something greater. We will both a true force to be reckoned with in Westeros, powerful enough to rival the dragons possibly."

With all of the setbacks and going on, Mern wasn't in a position to be selective with his options, and he needed the men of the Rock to help shore up his defenses if he wanted to have a kingdom at all.

"I love my daughter very much, Prince Seamus. While you do make good points, I will not so willingly give her hand away. Also, she's still in mourning for her brother, Prince Gawen, so to press her on matters like marriage at this stage would not be healthy for her," Mern had no intention of making it easy for the Lannisters, even though they had made good points.

"I understand," Seamus bobbed his head. "However, and please excuse any lack of respect that I might display right now, but all of us are in no position to mourn our dead. The dragons are winning victory after victory, and I don't give the Vale a long time before they would suffer irreversible damages. It's just us two now, Your Grace, our two families, who can really carry on the work of the Faith, the Starry Sept. Having strong belief in the Seven can get us far in our lives, but with respect to the gods themselves, they don't live amongst us and us rulers have to deal with the more practical matters of the world."

"Spare me the reminder, Prince Seamus. I know exactly what my duties are as king," Mern interrupted him.

"And with respect to Your Grace, I can appreciate you being considerate to your daughter's… delicate state in mourning, but she must know her duty and she can be useful in helping us be of service to the Seven," Seamus added.

Mern was not keen on what the heir of Loren Lannister was saying, but he couldn't ignore it. "As we're being political, Prince Seamus, I'll say this. Even if I were to agree with you on the merits of marriage between yourself and my daughter, there will be consequences. She is my only daughter and besides being one of the objects of joy in my life, she is also important in keeping my vassals happy. It was always my intention to marry her off to a Reach house because at least the most influential ones all come from Garth Greenhand and she would be influential in keeping those bloodlines pure. Also, my daughter wants to remain in the Reach, which only makes my task in finding her future husband easier."

Seamus sighed. "There is no such thing as pure bloodlines, Your Grace. You should know that your ancestor invited the Andals in and your own stewards, who share your blood, were not originally from Westeros. So… your thinking of preserving bloodlines doesn't really hold up in the scheme of things."

Mern swallowed. "And most importantly, the men of the Reach might not react very well to a Gardener princess being sent to Casterly Rock, mostly because of practical considerations. We have the produce, but you have the gold, and they'll keep telling me that your family will overtake us with your gold bullion if I invite you in."

Seamus was really confused. "I'm not sure where your lords got that idea, but the men of the Rock also understand that gold is useless without food. But we're really getting off-topic, Your Grace."

"Right," Mern agreed. "If your father wants me to consider marriage, I require ten thousand more troops and five tons of gold and silver."

"That's going to be difficult for him to meet, considering that you are already taking our gold and have five thousand men with you right now," Seamus noted.

"He has the troops, and he has the gold and silver to do that. We'll cover the terms of the dower later," Mern stated.

"Dower?" Seamus was surprised. "You are asking a lot for you to make up your mind, and you want more from us?"

"I told you that I treasure my daughter very much, and if your father is being serious about marrying her to you, he has to be willing to do what it takes," Mern shrugged.

Seamus laughed. "I guess that the King of the Reach is just like my father in a way, in that both of you are extortionists."

Mern blinked. "What did you just say to me?"

"I will relay your terms to my father, but be prepared, for he might not respond well to them. He might be a gambler, but he's also very tight with what coin comes out of his coffers," Seamus answered.

Mern scoffed. "And you people think so low of us for living amongst flowers. There is a fine line between being prudent and being stingy."

"Oh, my father is stingy, but the same could be applied to you, Your Grace. After all, you send us part of your harvest that keeps us from starving but doesn't allow us a full belly," Seamus finished with. "When will the commanders' council be held, Your Grace?"

"Tonight," Mern replied. "I will see what I can do to get you there, but don't expect them to welcome you with open arms. You're a newcomer, you're young, and you're a Lannister, all of which will not set you on good ground with them." Seamus kept listening. "But I warn you, Prince Seamus. I only tolerated your tone with me because your father has been doing his part well. If you talk to me like this in front of the others, I will respond in kind. I might not be the most bloodthirsty king in the world, but I am not weak. Do you understand?"

Seamus nodded. "Yes, Your Grace. I'll keep it in mind."

Mern watched as the prince from Casterly Rock left his solar. He poured himself another goblet of Arbor gold, trying to enjoy it while he still could. He figured that with the Arbor now under attack, there would be no more wine to enjoy and anyone with cases of Arbor gold would soon see how expensive they would come. _Also, war has a tendency to decrease quality, so I might not enjoy this kind of wine after this is over._

But Mern's mind was filled with what Loren was thinking. He was still King of the Rock and was still potent. Moreover, his position had slightly improved with Mern's losses in his own kingdom and the High Septon was showing that he was increasingly nervous with the approach of the dragons as they inched closer to Oldtown. Mern had to reassure him that his troops would fight to the end if need be, only for another septon to say, "Well, let's hope that won't be necessary."

Mern thought that Loren was trying to regain some of his power in the alliance back by exploiting Mern's moment of weakness. Sending his son to try to marry his daughter was certainly a provocation, but Mern couldn't just push back because he took some of the gold mined from Casterly Rock to cover some of his immediate expenses. And as stated before, he needed reinforcements and the men of the Rock represented that opportunity. _Will have to elaborate on who will command in the Reach. Won't take orders from any ruler from a rock, lion or not, _Mern thought.

Mern prepared himself for the council to be held that night. As expected, the attendance of Prince Seamus, which Mern made them aware of beforehand, caused suspicion amongst the Reach lords regarding his intentions. However, as they were still officially allies, no one protested.

"Let's begin, my lords," Mern called the council into order. "As of right now, the important parts of our kingdom are still secure. We retain control of key fortresses in Oldtown, the Ring, Brightwater Keep, Goldengrove, the Arbor, Cider Hall, and Highgarden. As all of those fortresses make up the core of the Reach, the enemy have yet to make significant progress against us, as those lands can continue feed our armies and supply us with extra men if needed. However, certain conditions have… changed in that a rethinking of our overall strategy is necessary. I'll have my captain of the guard, Ser Rychard Roxton, elaborate on our setbacks."

The lords paid attention to the second son of Lord Roxton, who stepped closer to the table and made his possession of Orphan-Maker known to all. "My lords, Cider Hall has been secured, so any advance from the enemy onto Highgarden cannot be done without the enemy receiving reinforcements. However, they also know this and therefore have taken steps to rectify their problems. They might not be able to march further south, but there is nothing stopping them from advancing onto the rest of the northern parts of our kingdom. As of this moment, our eastern and western flanks are in danger of being attacked and thereby crushing us under the combined weight, while our shores are being threatened by Orys Baratheon. Although we retain a stable base from which to retake our lands, we have learned that we underestimate the enemy at our own peril."

Mern saw that the Reach lords nodded to each other, as the dragons were able to do wonders on the field of battle despite being outnumbered.

"The purpose of this council is to determine our next steps against the enemy. Make no mistake, my lords, they've come to conquer and whatever they intend to do with the lands they subjugate will be the end of everything we know," Ser Rychard continued. "As His Grace wishes, he wants everyone here to make known their opinions on what should be done."

Silence ensued after Ser Rychard finished. At the start of the war, the Reach lords had over seventy thousand men at their disposal. But the war in the former Storm kingdom and Gawen's failed incursion against the Blackwater Bay had decreased their overall strength to just thirty thousand. Mern had issued orders for any grown man in the Reach who could bear arms to report for duty, but that only brought them an additional fifteen thousand men, less than what they needed to make up for their losses. Mern had also contacted Oldtown and wanted to use the City Watch's men, but Lord Hightower refused and reminded him that the City Watch belonged only in the city, not to be used elsewhere. _If it weren't for the threat posed by Orys Baratheon, I would have called Lord Hightower to Cider Hall to explain himself and then punish him for disobeying me._

"Your Grace," Lord Merryweather spoke. Ever since Longtable had fallen, he was seen with disdain from the rest of the lords for running away, but the King of the Reach wanted to make sure that everyone's voice would be heard. "If it's reinforcements that the dragons need, then their best hope lies in taking Ashford. If they're able to take Ashford, the stormlords would be to have a place from which to cross the Red Mountains and then link up with the forces under the command of Aegon Targaryen and Jaenyx Belaerys."

"I don't think that Ashford is worth holding, my lord," Lord Fossoway responded. "It is an important point in relation to the Red Mountains, but you've seen personally the effects of the dragons at your seat. We have reports that the father and mother of Aegon Targaryen, Aerion and Valaena, are also dragonriders and are guiding the stormlords through the Red Mountains. If we expend resources to defend Ashford, resources that we must use sparingly, then our overall position will become much more untenable."

"I don't think that will send a very good message, Lord Fossoway," Lord Ashford made his presence known. "What will the others think if you so willingly allowed them to fend for themselves?"

"You would think that, my lord. It is your castle that is at risk, but unfortunately, much must be sacrificed in war," Lord Rowan told him.

"And what would you say if the dragons appeared at Goldengrove, Lord Rowan? Would you be so dismissive then?" Lord Ashford spat back.

"My lords, please. Let's not get carried away with our insults," Mern pleaded. "But he does have a point, Lord Ashford. There will be no way that we can hold onto Ashford without us suffering another loss of an army. And we still haven't produced sufficient numbers of the new weapons that could be used against the dragons, so to face them in battle with nothing to show for it is unwise."

"Your Grace, you would leave my lands and my castle undefended for the stormlords to take?" Lord Ashford was shocked.

"Right now, we must preserve as much of our strength in this war as possible. And we must choose our battles wisely," Mern answered. "But after this war is over, I will compensate you for all of your losses. I can promise you that."

Lord Ashford leaned back against his chair, not liking what was being said but he also was wise enough to argue with his king in front of others.

"Lord Osgrey," Mern turned to the Marshall of the Northmarch. "What is the situation in the Northmarch?"

"Compared to the threat against Ashford, we have only seen minor activity from the enemy," Lord Osgrey responded. "Only some cavalry and some infantry, all of them led by Jaenyx Belaerys. But without siege equipment or more men, they would not be able to storm Standfast. The one danger that they pose, besides their dragon, is against the farmlands there. Besides that, we have nothing to worry about, Your Grace."

"Make sure that there isn't, Lord Osgrey," Mern directed him. "But do take care to ensure that you don't fall into complacency against them. They're very good at exploiting us that way."

Mern then turned his gaze to Lord Addam Hightower, who came on behalf of his father Lord Manfred. "Addam, what news from Oldtown?"

"Your Grace," the heir to Oldtown spoke. "With the presence of Orys Baratheon and his fleet of over seventy ships, we have been on full alert and trying to prevent them from attacking us and our docks. The main concern that we have right now is the threat posed from him against Blackcrown and the Three Towers. Should he able to storm and take those two castles, all sea access to our city will be cut off."

Mern nodded, as did the other Reach lords.

"Although that is true, Lord Addam, Orys will have to deal with the might of the Redwyne fleet," Lord Tarly said. "And since he's not here, where has he gone?"

"He's still at the Arbor, Lord Tarly," Mern addressed the Lord of Horn Hill. "As the Redwyne fleet only follows the command of their lord, he must be present when they make battle with Orys Baratheon. Also important, he has to make sure that he follows my command in keeping peace with the ironborn, as some of his captains will be very tempted to fight them as much as they want to fight against the conqueror of Storm's End."

"With respect, Your Grace, we never understood why you allowed the ironborn to fight alongside us," Lord Oakheart stated. "They might be a seafaring people and are good shipbuilders, but when it comes to actual battles and fighting against actual warships, they would easily crack under pressure." The Reach lords murmured in agreement.

"And you would know about ships, would you, my lord?" Mern asked pointedly, causing Lord Oakheart to be silent. "However, I can understand your concern. Yes, the ironborn are not good soldiers and yes, the only thing that they excel at is reaving, which involves attacking the weak and avoiding the strong. At the same time, they are a headache that we had to deal with constantly and I would rather have them fight on our side rather than continuing to attack us while we have to fight against the real enemy."

"Again, with respect, Your Grace, the ironborn have not committed much forces to even King Loren," Lord Oakheart eyed towards Prince Seamus. "Whatever armies they could have amassed were wiped out by the time Harrenhal was burned and they could field much less than what we can. In addition, they've been causing much trouble as of late, showing that they cannot be controlled."

Mern exhaled. "Would you rather have them cause more trouble then, my lord? It's better to keep them on the side than against us."

"I do agree with Lord Oakheart's concerns, King Mern," Prince Seamus leaned forward on the table. "The ironborn cannot be trusted and as threatening as the dragons are now, we must be able to have some solid plans to fight them when the time comes."

"You imply that they will threaten your family's interests in the riverlands, is that right, Prince Seamus?" Lord Rowan asked with a knowing look.

"The High Septon approved of our annexation of the riverlands, and we would have held it had it not been for the northmen," Seamus answered. "Also, we still have Riverrun and its surrounding areas along the Red Fork, thus allowing us to have a foothold when the time comes to retake them."

"How exactly do you plan on retaking them? Your father, King Loren, already tried to fight them on the field, Prince Seamus, and that didn't really work," Lord Addam said.

"As I have already told King Mern, our focus is currently not towards the riverlands," Prince Seamus surprised them. "My father and I have agreed that in order for us to win, we have to first fight alongside our allies in the Reach. My father authorized me to lead five thousand men right here, at Cider Hall, and there will be more men just waiting to arrive from my father."

"If that's the case, then why haven't we seen him yet?" Lord Oakheart inquired. "Your father made good on his word to join us when he showed at the Arbor, which leads me to think that you do not speak on your father's behalf."

"My father's word is good, Lord Oakheart, and he will send the necessary reinforcements to this kingdom provided certain conditions are met."

The Reach lords whispered to each other, while King Mern glared at Prince Seamus. _What in the Seven Hells are you doing?_

Prince Seamus also noticed his annoyance, but he had no intention of stopping.

"What conditions are to be met then, Prince Seamus?" Lord Ashford asked.

"There are other terms to be met, all of which are much too small to even mention amongst such an august council," Seamus attempted flattery, which didn't work as many Reach lords were unmoved. "However, my father has offered King Mern the opportunity to bind our two houses together through marriage, myself and Princess Vevienne. Only through marriage will the men of the Rock be willing to fight so far from their homes and amongst those that they still consider strangers."

Silence came upon the Reach lords again, before they erupted in protest. As for Mern, he clenched his fist, enraged that the heir to Kingdom of the Rock would even deign to commit sabotage like that. Whatever training he had in controlling his emotions, all of which came during his days of squiring, was slowly failing him from being so utterly cornered.

Mern pounded his hand on the table hard, causing the Reach lords to quiet down. "Enough! I will deal with Prince Seamus' offer, but I urge you all to begin planning for the next steps. Lord Ashford, begin to withdraw your men and your family from your seat. We're not going to fight against two dragons leading the stormlords and it's better to consolidate our positions before we contemplate action."

"Yes, Your Grace," Lord Ashford affirmed begrudgingly.

"Lord Osgrey, go back to Standfast and defend your holdings against the enemy. If you need reinforcements, let me know and I will see what I can do."

"Yes, Your Grace."

"Lord Addam, keep me updated on what's going on at Oldtown and have Lord Redwyne send me a raven. I can feel that battle will be upon him soon, so let him know if he needs any assistance."

"Yes, Your Grace," the heir to Oldtown dipped his head.

"Rest of you, make sure to continue to fortify Cider Hall. As long as we hold this castle, they could never advance on us."

"Yes, Your Grace," the rest answered.

When Mern and Seamus were alone, he pushed his chair onto its side. "What was that?"

"I needed to make sure that you understood the seriousness of your situation, King Mern," Seamus answered. "But even though they might protest, they'll come around given time. Whatever pride that they have will be put aside in response to the circumstances they face."

Mern scoffed. "And so, your solution to our problems is to try to go around me like this?"

"You had to get a push, Your Grace. After all, we cannot afford to spend as much time as we want in times like these," Seamus shrugged.

Mern knew that Seamus put him in a difficult position, since what he just said was going to happen eventually in regards to the Reach lords swallowing their pride. However, just like how Seamus was not going to make things easy for him, he was going to make it very difficult for Seamus to marry Vevienne.

"Very well, then. Leave your men here, while you go back to Highgarden," Mern spoke. "If you want to marry my daughter that badly, you best know her then. But unless she consents to you, I won't announce any kind of betrothal."

Seamus sighed before nodding. "Fair enough, Your Grace."

"Also, I just want you to know that you might face some competition from someone she had known her entire life," Mern wanted to reveal her companionship with Theo Tyrell out of spite.

"Your daughter would choose to marry a son of a steward over a prince?"

"I can't say that I blame her, given what you've just done," Mern sneered. "And why would she choose a stranger over someone who already knows how to be on her good side? But as I said, you can try."

Seamus gave him a nasty smile, one that resembled a carnivore being challenged. "Don't worry, Your Grace. I will not fail. And I'll make sure to remind that steward of his place in the order of things. I'll be sure to thank Queen Victaria for hosting me again." With that, he bowed and went out.

Mern took another drink from his goblet before slamming it down. He breathed in and out, all of which was shaky from how much anger he had. Thinking quickly, he took out a piece of parchment and wrote down the following:

"_To Victaria,_

_Seamus Lannister is coming back to Highgarden and he just openly announced his intentions to try to marry our daughter. On the surface, it may seem like a good match, but how he approached it showed that he deliberated wanted to provoke our family and our kingdom. And given that he is acting under the orders of Loren Lannister, this could be his attempt at regaining some of the power he lost when the riverlands were retaken._

_Victaria, act like the gracious host you were when you first saw him, but try to keep some distance between him and our daughter Vevienne. When Seamus comes, have Theo in her presence at all times. I might not approve of any match between them, but for once, their companionship can help save our house. And Theo is a good boy, so he'll know how to protect our daughter._

_Also, please keep watch over Seamus. I don't trust him in our home and he might try to either spy on us or sabotage us if he believes our actions to be inimical to the interests of his father._

_This is important, Victaria. Please help me._

_Your king and dear husband,_

_Mern."_

After sealing the letter and having the maester at Cider Hall send it on the fastest raven he could find, Mern reflected on how he could maneuver against Loren when he does come. _Betrothal or not, he might be like his son in that he will show up to force his will. I must be prepared when that happens._

Mern then heard a knock on the door. "Come in." In came Ser Rychard. "Yes?"

"Your Grace, we have received a raven from the Arbor," he held out the message, which Mern snatched and unrolled.

"_Your Grace,_

_Just recently, twenty ironborn vessels had engaged Orys Baratheon independently, and not surprisingly, all of them were sunk. I fear the consequences of what might happen if we do finally give battle with the storm fleet. Please advise on what I could do with the ironborn, for I cannot control my captains forever._

_Signed,_

_Normund of House Redwyne, Lord of the Arbor."_

Mern rubbed his forehead in frustration. "Get a raven to the Iron Islands. I demand an audience with Darvin Hoare."

"Yes, Your Grace," Ser Rycherd complied.

_First Seamus, and now the ironborn problem has gotten worse? The Seven must hate me to inconvenience me like this._

Mern then wrote another message to the Starry Sept, asking the High Septon for additional guidance and also to get him to boost morale in any way possible.

The raven to the Iron Islands never got a response a few weeks later, which made Mern think that the ironborn were reneging on their agreement. _If they start fighting us openly, I will kill every one of them I see, _Mern promised.

**A/N: Mern is definitely facing problems from all that is happening, and now they just bigger with Seamus and the ironborn added. And boy, does Seamus have nerve. **

**This was a chapter with no action, but a lot of plotting still. **

**Next, we see what's up in the Vale. **


	56. Visenya XI

**A/N: Hope you guys are all happy and healthy like always! **

**Things are about to get busier, so I might not have as much time for writing as I did before. However, I will try to update as regularly as I can. **

VISENYA XI

Visenya watched as Taenor Rahitheon, a distant relation to Aevor, hammered away in the yard of Ironoaks along with twenty men he requested, all of whom had some experience in blacksmithing. _Are all Rahitheons good engineers? I didn't know craftsmanship could be passed down by blood._

Although the scorpions that the enemy obtained had a low chance of hitting their dragons, Visenya was not going to take any more chances after Meraxes was hit. Looking for any solutions to their problem, she consulted with Taenor Rahitheon, who had accompanied the contingent of Rahitheon men sent to the Vale. He suggested that they construct armor for the dragons, but that they could not just use any kind of steel, for the scorpions had enough power to pierce even the finest castle-forged steel based on the designs leaked from Weslar Reyne. She was wise enough to not reveal that name, as Jaenyx told her that the fewer people who knew, the better it was. _He only said it was Lord Reyne because he trusts me._

When Taenor suggested Valyrian steel, Visenya was unsure. "Has there been Valyrian steel armor constructed for dragons before?" she asked him in High Valyrian. "There's no record of such armor being built for dragons during the days of the Freehold."

"No," Taenor shook his head. "The Valyrians didn't think that they would need armor, since the dragonlord families had hundreds at their command and never thought that there would be so few dragons left. In addition, building any set of armor is an expensive endeavor, so imagine how much Valyrian steel would have to be forged to make one for dragons."

"And that's assuming that the dragons don't grow any more by the time the armor is finished," Visenya added.

"Dragons could live for centuries and could rival Balerion in terms of size by the time they reach their maximum growth," Taenor said. "What I'm going to do is construct armor components that will cover the important areas of the dragon's body while also taking into account their growth. But as your dragon is the only one nearby, she can be the first one."

"That is fine, Taenor," Visenya was looking forward to seeing Vhagar armored.

"But I need a few things. First, I need as much iron and steel that can be procured. Second, I need a place and some men with blacksmithing experience to help me, as I don't have the time to make the armor all by myself. The last two things that I need have to be drawn from your dragon."

"Her blood and her fire," Visenya already knew.

Taenor nodded. "Just a little bit. And it's not like the enemy could copy the process, as without having a dragon of their own, forging Valyrian steel is impossible to outsiders."

Visenya went to Vhagar, who was resting on the outside of Ironoaks' walls and rubbed her snout. _I need something, girl, something that will protect you and the others from the weapons of our enemies. But you might feel a little pain. Will you accept it?_

_If it helps us from being harmed like Meraxes was, do it, _Vhagar told her through an exhale, knowing full well what she was asking.

_Okay. Hold still… _And Visenya made a minor incision in Vhagar's arms, which was still enough to get some drops of her blood.

After infusing the drops of blood in the melted steel, which was gained from the armor of their Vale captives, Vhagar breathed into the forge, her orange flames heating it to above normal levels. However, it was enough for Taenor and his men to work with and they hammered away for the last few weeks.

Meanwhile, Visenya was updated on the situation elsewhere in the Vale and in the Reach. Longtable had fallen and most of the Mander north of Highgarden, save for Cider Hall, was now in their hands. However, Aegon and Jaenyx couldn't advance further without reinforcements and would now have to secure their eastern and western flanks. The stormlords led by their father and mother were just about to complete their crossing of the Red Mountains and would be in a position to strike at Ashford. Once that castle was secured, the route between the former Storm kingdom and then Longtable would be secured.

Visenya couldn't be prouder of her parents, as they were showing that age was no indication when it came to dragons. If Orys' words were true, then it showed that being bonded with a dragon was indeed the solution to many problems, as their father was enjoying much better health and was more expressive in his feelings for their mother than before.

At the same time, she was worried about how her parents would handle themselves when battle came. Unlike the rest, they had bonded with their dragons mere moons ago and had yet to experience what combat was like. It was as Jaenyx said and they would have to use them in reserve during battle, although even that was becoming unlikely as they needed all of the dragons to participate. _Maybe, if the gods allow, we'll show them some quick pointers on how to carry themselves in battle and stay alive._

Visenya then realized that even with those pointers, it would still not be enough when battle came. If the armor that was being forged by Taenor Rahitheon did its job, then she'll commission him to make more. And she was going to be the first one to test it.

Taenor eventually completed his task. She agreed with him that a complete set of armor was not realistic for Vhagar, as she was still growing and would need a new set for every inch she gained on her body. What Taenor did was to forge basic protection for her head, her neck, her torso, and her wing-arms. Another advantage of Valyrian steel was that it was lighter than the other types of steel, so there should be no problems in terms of weight while she flew through the air.

Visenya calmed down Vhagar as they strapped on her Valyrian steel pieces all over her. For the head component, two pieces cover the top of her head and the bottom of her jaw so as to not restrict her line of sight. Leather straps connected both, which could be adjusted to fit her growing head while providing enough protection.

For her neck, Taenor Rahitheon to opted to make chainmail out of Valyrian steel, arguing that plates would restrict her movement. Although it will provide enough protection against large missiles, she would still some pain from their blunt force. _Better a bruise than her dead, I suppose, _Visenya accepted.

For her torso, particular her undersides, Taenor used a mixture of plate and chainmail, all of which would be tied onto her with leather straps that went over her topside. The very bottom of her undersides would be covered in plate armor, while the sides next to her wings would have chainmail so as to allow uninterrupted and comfortable flapping. The topside was considered the least exposed part of the dragon, so there was not protection given. _With all of the armor so far, that might not be necessary, _she mused.

Lastly, for the wings, Taenor chose to fit armlets for the largest parts of Vhagar's arms, as those were the closet to the torso and connected the wings to the body. However, when Vhagar grew more, those armlets would have to be replaced before they become too small for her arms.

Once everything was put on her, Visenya marveled at how much deadlier her dragon looked. The sun glinted off of her Valyrian steel armor components, with the occasional clink whenever she moved. To even herself, Vhagar looked like a flying behemoth made of Valyrian steel and it looked as if nothing could truly kill the dragons now.

Visenya could feel that Vhagar was slowly breaking it all in, judging her wiggles and moving around with her arms. It was the same feeling that she had when Jaenyx gave her the dragon coat, as she needed to wear it a few times before she got used to the Valyrian steel plates pressing against her breasts and shoulders. But after getting used to the dragon coat, Visenya never felt more powerful than she did before, with only Jaenyx giving her his mother's ring matching that.

Looking down on her hand and rubbing the ring with her free fingers, the jewel formed from the fire of the Fourteen Flames themselves sparkling from the sun rays, she could only think of Jaenyx and how awed he would be once Cloudwynd was also fully armored.

"How do you like it, Your Grace?" Taenor asked.

"It's… hypnotic, to say the least, Taenor," Visenya answered. "Dragons are powerful by themselves, but if you put armor on them, they truly become the embodiment of the divine, as nothing short of the gods' intervention could stop them."

"I agree with you, Princess Visenya," Taenor was also in awe of what he created. "But if I may, I believe there is only one way to see if the armor would do its job."

"Of course," Visenya nodded enthusiastically. "But before I do that, we must plan our next move. Once that happens, then I'll see how your work holds up. Still, good work. Expect to be rewarded when this is all over."

"Thank you, Your Grace," Taenor bowed his head as Visenya made her way to the hall of Ironoaks.

Waiting for her there was Marlon Umber, Maerys Tarareon, and her other captains. The heirs to the Redfort and Runestone were kept as guests in the rooms of Ironoaks, as well as Lord Waynwood in another chamber rather than the lord's one. Since the Waynwoods surrendered without much loss of life, Visenya was inclined to show mercy. Also, as they captured the last major fortress before the Eyrie itself, Visenya was feeling very good about her position and thus was magnanimous to House Waynwood.

But even with Ironoaks secure, there was still much to take into account. They only secured a portion of the Vale proper, as the Redfort and Runestone alongside other castles like Longbow Hall were still not under their control. Also, a direct assault on the Eyrie itself was likely to result in heavy casualties, even if it came from the direction of Rhaenys' northern advance.

At the same time, their situation had vastly improved in the Vale itself. Visenya couldn't be happier for her sister becoming the fighter that no one else besides her family expected. Due to her use of deception and cunning, she was able to cripple the Vale's northern force and them to retreat to Heart's Home, home of House Corbray. The last message she sent, House Corbray was surrounded and would not last long. _Good job, Rhae!_

However, Meraxes still needed more time to recover and they spotted a single scorpion in the yard of Heart's Home, so Rhaenys wasn't going to risk her mount. That was when Visenya decided on where she would test the armor. _If the scorpion doesn't work, the Corbrays have to surrender, or be burnt, _Visenya declared in her mind.

Marlon Umber and Maerys Tarareon, along with their other captains, bowed and curtseyed to Visenya as she entered the hall. Sitting where the lord usually sat, she forgone Lys white wine in exchange for cider. Her belly had grown considerably, and she could more activity from her child. Counting how many moons had passed, she realized that she was near the end of her pregnancy. _Good, I long to meet my son or daughter and introduce her to their father, _Visenya thought with impatience.

Many had grown concerned, as they knew that same fact, but Visenya brushed them off and reminded them that pregnancy had done nothing to dent her body and her mind.

As she consumed her auroch steak and watched the others eat, she started to consider the various approaches that could be taken when planning the final stroke that will subjugate the Eyrie, any of which didn't involve assaulting it. However, she realized that there were few and none of them had a realistic chance of succeeding. _What I need is something… unexpected. Something that they haven't yet seen, or still haven't prepared for._

Chewing on the bits of auroch in her mouth, it suddenly hit her. Visenya had largely accomplished her objective in the Vale, with Rhaenys about to do the same, so what they needed to do now was to follow up with strike against their heart. Visenya called over one of her personal guards, telling him to get a message sent to Longtable.

"Why Longtable, Your Grace?" he asked.

"Just tell my husband that I need the men dressed in black to come here. He'll know what I mean by that," Visenya commanded.

While she waited, she sent more messages to the Redfort, Longbow Hall, and Runestone, asking them for their response to her question: will they stand aside, or will they join her?

The first response came from Longbow Hall. Lord Hunter told her in writing:

"_To Princess Visenya of House Targaryen and Belaerys,_

_I can sense where the wind is blowing, and I shall not commit any more men of House Hunter to serve Sharra Arryn. However, I must respectfully declare neutrality in your war, as the last time a Hunter took sides, we lost much. However, I do hope that whatever happens in the Vale, peace will soon follow, as the weariness among my people has grown to considerable levels._

_I wish you and your family good fortune._

_Signed,_

_Morton of House Hunter, Lord of Longbow Hall."_

Visenya wrote back a response to Lord Morton, praising him on the wisdom of his choice but also making clear that she was disappointed with his final decision. _Maybe he'll side with us another time, but it'll have to do._

The next response came from House Redfort, It read:

"_To Princess Visenya of House Targaryen and Belaerys,_

_I must thank you for your kind treatment of the future of our house. You are the not the abominations that the Starry Sept has painted you as and therefore, I will not commit any more arms against you. However, those arms will not fight alongside you either, as it would be in poor taste for the Redfort to declare for your family after some sworn to me have died at your hands. I hereby declare neutrality, but I also wish you good luck and ask that you return peace to the Vale._

_Signed,_

_The Lord of the Redfort._"

Visenya sighed, again disappointed at another house declaring neutrality. _Oh, well. One more house declaring neutrality is one less house fighting for the Arryns._

Finally, a letter came from Symond Royce. Eagerly breaking the seal, the letter went as followed:

_To Princess Visenya of House Targaryen and Belaerys,_

_I must thank you for your kind treatment of my son Mychel. He has been the joy of my life and to see him unharmed in your custody brings relief to myself and his lady mother._

_I thought about what you said, and I decided that you were right regarding my feelings towards Sharra Arryn. She's an outsider and therefore didn't enjoy the love of the lords, with her birthing sons of House Arryn being the only reason she's still in the Eyrie._

_I cannot promise, in good faith, all of my bannermen to fight for you, but I did offer a thousand of my troops to join you out of their free will in exchange for knighthoods and other rewards. Please consider that for them._

_I have also kept my promise and persuaded Lord Hunter to declare neutrality. If this pleases you, I ask that you release my son back to my custody and allow him to return home. If you require a more proper ransom, I will gladly pay it._

_I also ask that if you succeed in subjugating the Eyrie, please remember my actions._

_Please bring peace back to the Vale and end this war._

_Signed,_

_Symond of House Royce, Lord of Runestone._"

Visenya read the letter again, making sure that she wasn't misreading or misinterpreting anything. She smiled in satisfaction, as the Lord of Runestone had just promised her one thousand men. It wasn't much admittedly, but it was something that she couldn't ignore, and she was sure to keep in mind when the Vale is fully secure.

Going up to the chambers where Mychel Royce was, she showed him the letter written in his father's hand. "Your father has finally seen the light, Lord Mychel."

Mychel Royce was both happy that he was now secure in his life and freedom, but he was also torn since his father had now broken oaths and the letter was strong evidence of that. "What is to happen to me?"

"You get to go home, Lord Mychel," Visenya took the letter back from him. "I made a promise to your father and I intend to keep it. You're free now."

But Mychel sensed something else. "You have another option in mind?"

"The letter promised a thousand men, and they might need a Royce to lead them," Visenya stated. "If they appear, I would like you to command them."

"You would trust command to one of your foes?"

"Former foe," Visenya corrected him. "If our family turned away everyone for leadership because they fought against us before, we wouldn't have had the stormlords on our side, or the those around the Blackwater Bay. And because they're fighting for us, they will share in the glory and spoils of the war. The question I want to ask is whether or not you want to take part in it also." She then left the chambers to him to ponder on that.

She lastly announced Lord Royce's decision, which got cheers from the hall. _The tide has truly turned, and we shall triumph here, _Visenya thought confidently.

As they were cheering, through the doors of the hall entered who Visenya was waiting for: Kenzou Haru. Walking up to her, they both bowed to each other. "Thank you for coming all the way here on such short notice," she said to him in nihongo.

"No… problem," Kenzou tried in the common tongue, surprising her and the others.

"Well, practice makes perfect," Visenya told him while patting his shoulder before turning to the others. "After all of you have finished your meals, I would like you all to come to the solar. I believe we have a solution to our problem regarding the Eyrie. But don't rush yourselves, please."

Visenya had the servants bring Kenzou some raw fish, which he cut into thin slices with his own knife. Some of those in the hall were surprised at seeing a man eat uncooked fish, not ever imagining that such a thing was possible. However, Kenzou merely ignored them and carried on with his meal. He drunk wine to mask the taste of the fish, which he complained as being "too fresh." _How does he even know how fresh a fish is?_

"How is your father, Kenzou?" Visenya asked him.

"Busy," Kenzou was ever terse.

"How are the rest of the men that came with your family?"

"Kajiwara is on the sea with your brother, and half of those are with me right now, the other half back at Longtable," Kenzou answered.

Visenya had heard little of Kajiwara, other than he was the only man who came from Yi-Ti who had any experience with ships. He was never a captain of his own, but he understood how a proper navy worked from being the first officer of many vessels. "I consider my brother fortunate to have a man like Kajiwara fight alongside him."

"And doing very well," Kenzou added. "They just sunk twenty ironborn ships and will move on to more."

Visenya could only smile in pride for her brother's accomplishment. Just a few years before, he was merely their father's bastard son to others and nothing more. Now, he was not only a lord in his own right, he was a great commander in the field and now could add commanding at sea to his growing list of achievements.

"How is your pregnancy coming along?" Kenzou looked at her belly.

"The baby is fine," Visenya rubbed her belly lovingly. "I should expect to meet him or her within the next moon or so."

Kenzou nodded. "If only he knew about where his son would end up."

"Who?" Visenya wasn't sure about Kenzou's words.

"Jaenyx's father," he answered. "Not a kind man, but he knew where his priorities were."

"You knew him?" Visenya had to listen.

"In a way," he nodded. "But I knew his brother better, Gaerys."

"What was he like, Gaerys? I only heard some parts of who he was like as a man."

Kenzou sighed. "Much more of a smooth talker than Jaenyx could ever be. But truth be told, I'm rather glad that he lived and not Gaerys."

"Why is that?" Jaenyx avoided talking about his brother, but it was not out any alice.

"In simple terms, Gaerys represented everything wrong about firstborn sons hailing from noble families. He was charming and quite personable with others, but he was very irresponsible and slothful. And things became worse for him when he failed to bond with Cloudwynd."

"Wait. Gaerys tried to bond with Cloudwynd?" Visenya didn't know that.

"Obviously, it didn't work and Jaenyx became the dragonrider of the family," Kenzou stated clearly. "Him getting his mother's affections, with him being the youngest child and all, certainly didn't help matters. But don't misunderstand. There was no strain in the relationship between the brothers, as Gaerys never mistreated Jaenyx and instead tried to hide his insufficiency with his outgoingness with the rest of the colony, before the red death swept in."

Visenya knew that the red death was a sore spot for many of the survivors, all of whom came with Jaenyx. "His brother died because of Ghiscari pirates, right?"

"That's true. And it was probably the only time that he applied what he learned about combat from my father and Arata," Kenzou sipped his wine. "I was surprised that he even listened at all, for he cut down ten men before that crossbow bolt pierced his throat." Kenzou shook his head. "Poor Jaenyx. He had to watch him bleed out and die."

Visenya knew that Jaenyx came from tough roots, but to hear his tale from another person's mouth was something else entirely. And to know more details about his father and brother was also enlightening.

"But enough of Jaenyx. He's here now and he's making something of himself. I'm sure his mother would be smiling from wherever she is, as she can see that her sacrifice was worth it," Kenzou said wistfully.

"I wish I could've known her," Visenya thought about Jaenyx's family. "I wish I could've known them all."

"And that's something that I couldn't understand," Kenzou said aloud. "The Belaeryses and the Targaryens are the only two dragonlord families left after the Doom and you two could've met earlier. Why did Lord Belaerys elect to remain in the Basilisk Isles and not sail towards Dragonstone?"

"I don't there was any way for them to know that we were alive. After Aenar Targaryen fled to Dragonstone, they must've cut contact with the Freehold, or they with them. But it doesn't matter now. He's here and we're about to be parents."

"I welcome your optimism. It makes very sure that Jaenyx has found the right woman for him," Kenzou smiled, which was a first for Visenya.

"You smiled," she noted.

"After Arata died, I'm trying to be the cheerful one of the family, although I find that quite difficult to do," Kenzou admitted.

"You'll probably have much to discuss with Rhaenys then. I'm trying to work on being light-hearted also, but in that area, I have to defer to my baby sister," Visenya suggested.

"When I see her again, I will be sure to ask her that," Kenzou clinked his cup with Visenya's.

In the solar of Lord Waynwood, Visenya had gathered Lord Umber, Maerys, and their captains. "As I said to you all before, I believe I have a solution to our problem regarding the Eyrie. Lord Kenzou, I give the floor to you," she gestured to him.

"You all remember Haystack Hall?" Kenzou spoke very slowly in the common tongue.

The Lord of Last Hearth cringed at how bad it sounded, while Maerys and the others were much more respectful. "Aye, I've heard of what happened there. But why is that relevant?"

"By surprising them, we were able to secure an important castle and avoid large casualties," Kenzou told him while making very clear that he was offended by Lord Umber's expression. "The darkness of night and scaling the walls of Haystack Hall allowed us to achieve our goal."

"Lord Haru, this is not some regular castle you are speaking of. We're talking about the Eyrie, probably the tallest tower in Westeros besides the Hightower further south. You cannot just climb up that tower and hope to surprise them with your sneaky antics," Lord Umber protested.

"Lord Marlon, I would have thought that you would have had more confidence in our abilities to achieve the impossible. After all, your castle is the closet out of all of us to your wall of ice, which is fantastical onto itself," Visenya pointed out.

"I wouldn't call it a castle, Your Grace, but it does keep us warm during the harshness of winter. But the point I'm trying to make is that what worked in one place will not necessarily work in another."

"And you will be correct, my lord," Kenzou addressed him. "Which is why we combine elements of previous raids into one that will bring us one step closer to victory over all of our enemies."

"Would you care to elaborate on that, Lord Kenzou?" Even Visenya was interested in what he had to say.

"All of you are familiar with our exploits at Casterly Rock. The opening stage was possible because we were able to ride on the dragons, who then flew close to the water where we were able to swim and infiltrate that mountain with ease. You are right, my lord, in that the same methods that were used in Haystack Hall will not work with the Eyrie because we simply do not have that long enough rope to climb up, nor do we have anyone with that strong of a throw. So… I suggest we use either Vhagar or Meraxes or both as transports from which to bypass their defenses and attack."

The captains murmured to each other, doubtful of the plan's success. "You do realize, Lord Haru, that the Eyrie will likely be protected by scorpions, which have harmed Meraxes?" Maerys asked.

"I personally am for the plan. It's bold and ambitious," Visenya voiced her support. "But as you have said, Lady Maerys, we cannot hope to attack the Eyrie directly as long the scorpions are there. At the same time, Taenor Rahitheon had just constructed a set of armor which could be used by Vhagar. The timing couldn't be fortuitous, for I have found a suitable place to test the armor."

"Where, Princess Visenya?" she asked.

"Heart's Home. I will deliberately fly low so that the scorpion can shoot at Vhagar, but not so low that their shot is guaranteed to hit its mark. Once Heart's Home has been taken, we'll essentially cut off all of the northern parts of the Vale from the rest and allowing to strike at the Eyrie."

"That's a risk, Your Grace. Are you sure that your dragon's armor can handle it?" Lord Umber was still skeptical.

"We have to take risks, as you surely understand."

Later that day, Visenya mounted Vhagar, intent on knocking out Heart's Home and House Corbray from the war. She was growing very tired of waiting and decided to use what she did with Ironoaks against them. After leaving both Maerys and Marlon Umber in charge, she patted her dragon's neck, now covered in Valyrian steel chainmail. _We'll be all right, girl._

_I know we will, _she can hear her say.

But before she could give the command to fly, Kenzou walked up to her and handed her a piece of parchment. "Jaenyx asked me to give this to you. He said that he wanted something more… personal to send."

Grinning, Visenya snatched the letter from his hand and stuffed it inside her dragon coat. "I'll be back soon, Kenzou. Make sure to use this time to plan our raid." After seeing him nod, she took off into the air on Vhagar.

By the time that they reached Heart's Home, it was near dusk, but there was still enough light for her to see the small castle of House Corbray. They were not a particularly wealthy house, but everyone one of them produced good warriors. _It'll be a shame if they didn't see the light._

Squinting her eyes, she saw the scorpion mounted on the ramparts as well as the rest of the army surrounding it. Vhagar then heard another roar from the ground, which came from Meraxes. She was able to see the silver dragon still on the dirt and then see Rhaenys, who was surprised to see her sister. _I'll talk to her later._

Assuming a circle above Heart's Home, Visenya waited as the Corbray men loaded their scorpion. By now, everyone was watching, confused at what she was doing and more so after seeing Vhagar covered in armor. Finally, the bolt was released and it flew from its release. She held onto Vhagar's spines tightly, praying to the gods of Valyria that the armor would work.

Eventually, the bolt collided with her wing-arm, causing a roar of pain from Vhagar's mouth. But miraculously, it was a roar more out of annoyance and the bolt simply bounced off of the armlet. _Are you okay?_

_It hurts! _Visenya could only smile in triumph, and be glad for Vhagar not being wounded.

Pointing her dragon's snout downwards, she aimed for the scorpion. "Dracarys!" Orange flames left her mouth, consuming the weapon and anyone who was unlucky to be close by.

Doing one more circle, Visenya saw white flags hoisted over Heart's Home, and cheers erupted from the northern camp. Meraxes roared in celebration, as the weapon that wounded her was now destroyed.

Landing Vhagar near Meraxes, her dragon lowered herself so that Visenya could easily climb off of her. She then saw her sister and Brandon Snow run towards her, awestruck at what she had done.

Visenya noticed a change in her attitude, more evident than the last time they saw each other, which could only be obtained after leading an army through arduous conditions and to victory. No words were exchanged as they finally embraced each other, crying out of happiness in seeing each other again and that none of them were seriously harmed. Brandon stepped back and allowed the sisters their moment.

**A/N: I felt that the only way to really counter the scorpions was to give the dragons armor, which I created as realistically as I could. Hope you all liked that approach. **

**For House Royce, they're not just going to go full-on supporting the dragons, but they will send something, which will really put them on the dragons' good side. **

**Next chapter will cover more on Rhaenys' and Visenya's reunion, the letter, and how that raid will proceed. See you next time!**


	57. Rhaenys XII, Kenzou

**A/N: Hi, guys! Hope you all are continuing to be safe. I'm adjusting to a new update schedule because I am studying again and I don't want to overwhelm myself. Hope you guys understand! **

**And man, this week was trying, with Chadwick Boseman's death among the other events of this year. Can't say that Black Panther was my favorite superhero, but I followed his career since 2013 and he had so much more to offer to the world. But he'll definitely go down as one of the legends of recent years, especially since he gave off an amazing performance as Black Panther while stricken with cancer. Mr. Boseman, you will be missed. **

RHAENYS XII, KENZOU

"_First thing that I will do when we see each gain is to pull down the fabric that covers your bosom, very slowly, and then run my tongue down your neck to your bare, gleaming breasts. And then slowly, very slowly, pull down the rest of your dress to expose your body to my eyes. After that, I shall lick your belly in circles further and further down, and then put my tongue in your entrance._

_As for me, I shall take off my gambeson in a deliberate manner, before taking off my shirt and showing my chest and core to your stare. Then, I shall untie my trousers and push them down before jumping on you and kissing you on your big, beautiful lips. After that, I will take off my smallclothes, where I will—"_

"Okay, I think you understand now," Visenya snatched the letter from Rhaenys' hands, who giggled as she read it through.

"Who knew that Jae was so… expressive with words?" Rhaenys was very amused at how explicit her goodbrother's words were when it came to when it came to their bedding.

"Oh, shut it," Visenya lightly shook her off, but she was very pleased with how much Jaenyx desired her when they did see each other again.

"Still, Jaenyx's letter is nothing compared to what I got from Aegon, which Kenzou was kind of enough to send to me," Rhaenys pulled out the letter with Aegon's seal. "I think it's fair that since I read yours, you read mine."

Visenya put Jaenyx's letter in her lap while eagerly taking the one written in Aegon's hand. Unfolding it, she cleared her throat while trying to do her best impression of Aegon's voice.

"_How I miss you so much, Rhae. The distance between us has been trying on my soul and I can only begin to imagine what will happen when we do lay eyes on each other again._

_Remember when we made love on the floor? First, I'm going to fall on the floor and demand that you go on top of me and kiss me. Then, I shall reach behind your back and untie every lace of your dress before pulling it off of your shoulders. I will sit back up, run my lips and tongue over each of your breasts while you throw your head back. At the same time, you will untie every cloth that is on my body, first with my chest and then with my legs, so that the both of us will be bare for each other. Once I remove your smallclothes, I will push my cock into you and you will ride me like you ride Meraxes. Whatever happens afterwards will be dictated by the pleasures between us."_

Visenya exhaled, pleased with how her brother was finally being descriptive with his feelings and wants. "I would say that Jaenyx still is more descriptive and gives more details with every step."

"Come now, Vis. Egg might not be detailed in his words, but he leaves little to imagination. What's more, did Jae said that he missed you?"

"What proof do I need when he already made clear that he wants to ride me and fuck me in such a clear picture? And besides, I don't think Egg knew how to be this detailed unless he had help."

Rhaenys gasped in mock surprise. "Are you saying that our brother cannot express his feelings?"

"I'm just saying. Jaenyx made clear everything that he wants, all of which I am happy to grant him. And who knows? He's not the only one who wants what he just described from his wife and bedmate?" Visenya gave Rhaenys a suggestive grin.

"Oh, you want to wager on that, since we're so clearly divided on who is the most descriptive between our husbands?" Rhaenys challenged good-naturedly.

"All right, then. What is the wager?" Visenya was very interested.

"It's going to be clear that whatever happens between us and our illustrative husbands, it'll be a night to remember. But how much noise we can make can really show to all who is the more loving couple," Rhaenys stated.

"The wager is going to be who has the loudest tumbling between us?"

"Exactly," Rhaenys was pleased that her sister caught on.

"And the spoils?"

"All of that noise will leave little to the imagination of everyone who heard us, but they're not going to have the details."

Visenya's eyes widened. "You want the loser to read the letter we got to everyone else?"

Rhaenys nodded eagerly. "I'm sure many would be very interested in what our love life is really like. Besides, no reason that this can't be fun."

Visenya was not one to share the intimate details of her life to anyone outside of family, and she cherished every moment that she had with Jaenyx. But considering that her husband's ability for expression was in doubt, it needed to be settled.

"Rhae, I accept," Visenya clasped her hands, also eager at the chance.

"And it'll be the first even our babes will remember," Rhaenys rubbed her sister's belly while Visenya rubbed the other's.

After Heart's Home surrendered after that demonstration, Rhaenys spent some time consolidating her forces while she sent the Mormont ladies with a few hundred of their troops to find some way to link up with the troops under Visenya's command. Using the knowledge provided by the Vale mountain clansmen working for them, they were able to meet a patrol belonging to Maerys Tarareon, and Visenya offered them a warm welcome to Ironoaks. With the defection of House Royce, the neutrality of House Hunter, and House Melcolm largely neutralized, the northern half of the Vale proper was secure.

Brandon left control of their northern gains, specifically around Strongsong and Heart's Home, to a small but trusty force, which allowed the rest of the army under his and Rhaenys' control to surged southwards. Once everyone assembled at Ironoaks, all of the Vale north of the Heart's Home was cut off and isolating the Eyrie from its northern and half of its eastern coasts.

There was great celebration in the halls of Ironoaks as the northmen saw each other again after so many weeks on campaign, which made Rhaenys happy because it served as an indication to what would happen when she was reunited with Aegon. Moreover, everyone could feel that the Vale campaign was coming to an end and desired for a quick resolution. _As much as we liked the harsh beauty of the mountains, we all yearn to see our loved ones further south, _she thought of Aegon.

But the jubilations were replaced with a solemn seriousness, as they now faced their largest obstacle yet, the taking of the Eyrie. Kenzou had time to plan out the particulars, which called for a storm of the Eyrie from two angles.

"It's possible that we can go for a nighttime raid, but in light of the success at Casterly Rock, we might need to adopt a varied approach," Kenzou said as Visenya translated. "Just like at Casterly Rock, I propose that we fly in a group on dragonback towards the top of the Eyrie. We cannot climb up, as we simply don't have that long enough rope to do so. Our way is to rope downwards and fight our inside. From there, we have to work with what we find, as we don't know the exact layout of the castle."

"Wouldn't that be a risky plan, Lord Kenzou?" Bethany Mormont asked. "Everyone in Westeros has heard of your reputation, but if this goes wrong, you might be caught and then quickly killed off in the halls of the Eyrie."

"Which is why we will adopt a secondary approach, the distraction," Kenzou responded after Visenya interpreted for him. "We need a group of men who aren't afraid of walking up to the court of the Eyrie, disguised as merchants or scouts for one of the houses still loyal to Queen Sharra Arryn. Because they will be seeing men that they haven't seen before, they'll be on some alert and their focus will be on the court. With their eyes on those men rather than the men coming from the top, we'll be able to distract them long enough for the rest of the castle to be taken. Meanwhile, once we have enough indication that the rest of the Eyrie is secured, that's when the men in the court will strike," Kenzou finished.

"In order to press our advantage, we will send five thousand men on horseback in the dead of night to surround the Eyrie and cut off all access to it," Visenya circled with her hand on the map. "Once the castle has been fully secured and everyone in there a hostage, those five thousand will continue to hold their positions while at least a hundred will march inside and disarm the garrison. Afterwards, what happens in the Eyrie depends on how much resistance Sharra Arryn wants to offer us."

"All right, this is it," Brandon nodded. "Whatever happens tomorrow will determine the rest of the campaign here. We have made valuable progress in the Vale, but we cannot have the rest further south wait for us. Once the Eyrie is secure and House Arryn has surrendered, we will offer Valemen the chance to join us against the Lannisters and Gardeners."

"You would trust the Valemen to fight alongside us?" Lord Umber asked.

"The Royces did send us a thousand men. After the Vale has been secured, they'll be able to send their full forces in support of us," Visenya answered. "The Royces giving us troops will set a precedent, for their assistance in our war will be rewarded and there will be plenty of houses who will want to advance themselves in the new order of things."

"It's also important that we present a united front and expand the foundations of our armies to other peoples like Valemen, those from the Kingdom of the Rock, and those from the Reach," Rhaenys added. "We have to make them all invested in the new arrangements that will take place all over Westeros and those who do will go in directions that they could have never dreamed of going."

"Maerys, Lord Umber," Visenya turned to them. "I want you both to contribute your men. You fought very hard for me, and I believe it's only fitting that you be there when the Eyrie is taken."

"You honor me very much, Your Grace," Lord Umber bowed his head.

"It'll be a pleasure," Maerys spoke the common tongue with her Valyrian lilt.

Rhaenys, Visenya, Brandon, and the others also attended another meeting, this time with Kenzou speaking only in nihongo to the twenty men that will be participating in the raid. Rhaenys was intimidated every time she looked at the men of the Harus, as their eyes gave off a certain gaze that only came as a result of harsh upbringing and experience. Not that whatever they witnessed made the hardiest men alive, but it seemed as if all emotion was just taken from them. What was left was just pure focus and commitment to goals, alongside their want to accomplishing their goals in whatever way was possible. Them not saying anything added to the stoicism and obedience they had to Kenzou, who merely said what they needed to do and no more.

Afterwards, they started to prepare themselves in their minds by spending the next few hours in total silence, looking at the setting sun and saying quiet prayers to whatever deities they believed in. _Everything about them is so subdued. It's like you could try to observed them for a thousand years and there will be many things that I won't be able to understand even after all of that time._

She brought this up with Kenzou, with Visenya translating for him. "Why do you suppress your emotions?"

"It's not that we are not emotional people," Kenzou answered. "It's embarrassing for us to express it in front of others, for it shows insecurity and weakness. Also, no one cares what you feel."

"What are you talking about?" Rhaenys couldn't quite understand what Kenzou was talking about.

"I'm sorry to say this, but the only reason why people care about what you have to say or feel is because you were always in a position of power and privilege. You never had to worry about food water for the next day, or whether you had a place to sleep. More importantly, you never had to live every day by looking over your shoulder. What's more, people don't care about other people's problems."

Rhaenys was struck at how cold Kenzou's words were. "Do you always have a pessimistic attitude towards everything?"

Kenzou sighed. "Let me explain this to you. Consider my life as resembling yours, with a house and an easygoing existence. Then, at the age of four, all of that crumbled into little pieces and we have to live in a different place every moon because we couldn't stay in the same house without attracting attention. Then, you are trained from the age of seven to kill in dozens of ways and you realize just how fragile a body really is. But many don't know their vulnerabilities and think themselves superior while spitting at you and saying, 'You're no good.' And that's when you conclude that trying to live among people, despite you begging for their help, is fruitless because they don't want to. After living through that, can you really say that you could live further with optimism?"

Rhaenys couldn't help but be sympathetic to Kenzou. Beyond his cultural upbringing regarding emotions, she saw that for all of his stoicism and tenacity, he was at heart a bitter man who didn't have good experiences with people at large and knew nothing else but killing. "But what about Jaenyx and his people? Why did you come to them if you didn't want to be around people?"

"In a colony or in any other setting like the Basilisk Isles, you do not have the luxury of choosing who you live with. And the Belaeryses were quite tolerable for dragonlords, so we had to pay back their generosity in allowing us to settle with them. It was either the Basilisk Isles or continuing to live on the run from the emperor's agents."

Rhaenys pursed her lips. "You know, Kenzou, one of these days, you're going to have to learn not to be suspicious of everyone. I do have to admit that I haven't lived like you and therefore there are many things about this world that I still don't understand. At the same time, I believe that we are the result of our choices. Jaenyx was like you, but he chose to change and now, look what happened." She pointed to Visenya's stomach. "Not only will he be a prince, he's going to be a father. If you treat everyone like the enemy, who's going to want to serve you and work with you in the future? I believe that's a terrible way to live, which is quite disturbing considering how young you still are."

Kenzou narrowed his eyes. "And you think you know everything there is to know about hardship?"

"I'll be lying if I say that I do, because what you saw will be more than what I will ever see in my lifetime. But please for all of our sakes, let's be better. Once this is all over, you will be exalted among many others. That I can promise you, but what kind of memories do you want to leave behind? I'm sure even you understand how powerful they are, given what you've been through."

Kenzou blinked, having never thought of it from Rhaenys' point of view. And for once, she saw right through his steel exterior, for her words had made him disquieted. _Not so above it after all, are you?_

After Visenya and Rhaenys were alone, she asked her sister, "Did you have to do that, before we were about to embark on a storm of the Eyrie?"

"Right, I wasn't thinking clearly," Rhaenys said apologetically. "However, I had enough of Kenzou acting all strong and all that because I knew that he was hiding behind something. And he dare make comparisons with my life and his? As if he's the only one who lived a hard life before all of this."

Visenya sighed before nodding. "I understand Kenzou and what he said, but I also agree with what you said. We are determined by our choices and Jaenyx was just like his Haru comrades before he married me and fathered my child, which I expect to be due soon," she tapped her belly lovingly. "And I'm glad that you got him thinking. Without his bitterness, he's going to have to see the world differently, just like what Jae did."

Rhaenys walked up to her sister and also put her hand on her belly before putting her ear on it. "I can't wait to meet you. I want to hold you in my arms and kiss your brow, of course after your mother."

Visenya chuckled before kissing Rhaenys' belly. "And I can't wait to meet you. But I do look forward to hearing who you like more, your mother or your aunt?"

"Of course they'll love me more. I gave birth to them," Rhaenys jokingly answered back.

"Not sure about that," Visenya said in a sing-song manner. "If they are dragons, they'll likely go after the ones who can teach them the sword."

"Oh, that's how it's going to be?" Rhaenys came closer to Visenya's belly and whispered. "If you're anything like your father, I'm going to teach you how to be best singer in the world. That way, you'll spend more time with me and you'll say that I'm your favorite."

"Stop it," Visenya hit Rhaenys on the back playfully.

They spent the rest of the time they had before they had to fly out arguing jestingly on who their children will like of the two of them.

* * *

Kenzou was dropped off by Visenya and Vhagar approximately five miles away from the Eyrie. For this part of the storming, he and five others were tasked with approaching the mountain stronghold of House Arryn on foot while the rest would attack from the air after being dropped off by both Vhagar and Meraxes. The son of Konno Haru found it quite extraordinary regarding the many capabilities of the dragons, and even more impressive on how they could be tamed in the first place. However, he was going to save his thoughts for another time, for he had more important matters to attend to.

He figured that even with war going on, there would still be trade going on, just in a less overt manner. What he learned from his time in the Free Cities on the run from the emperor's agents and from his own homeland was that in any war, the only ones who would declare neutrality either didn't have the strength to participate in the hostilities or stood to gain from profiting on both sides. And with the recent victories in the Vale proper, one of the most lucrative commodities in wartime besides food were anything related to pleasure. That would include anything from silver platter to wine, and he had a few cases of Arbor gold to deal with.

The plan was that he and the others that came with him would pose themselves as wine merchants from somewhere in Essos, where they made a profit in running wine past the lines and into the hands of those willing to pay for them. Once they were able to make it past the guards and into the court in their disguise, they would strike in conjunction with the men that had infiltrated the castle from above.

The shinobi might have earned their reputation from striking at night, but they had developed a number of methods that allowed to become amongst the most feared groups in the Golden Empire. If they couldn't fight within the established methods of war, they found ways around it and he found it quite surprising how stubborn all of his opponents were. _Given how much value these people place on honor, it shouldn't be hard to fool them into a false sense of security, _Kenzou thought about the Andalic view of chivalry.

But while he and the others were changing into their regular attire while hiding their weapons, Kenzou couldn't help but think about what Rhaenys had said. He wasn't going to deny that his experiences had made him into a bitter and distrustful man, but because of both of them, he and his family were able to survive for a long time. Added to the fact that assassins were not supposed to be close to outsiders, distrust was a virtue.

At the same time, things were different. Kenzou and his father were lords in their own right and like Rhaenys had said, they would enjoy a place in the inner circle of the dragons for their merits. Also, they couldn't view the world as simple warriors anymore. Lords had to deal with worries that most people would never be exposed to, and simply killing those who opposed them was not a productive way to go about it. They would have to act like the very people who made their life a hell, but power would be their ultimate shield and Kenzou couldn't reject it because of past experiences.

Bringing himself back into the present situation, Kenzou and the others had to remain alert. Even though they might claim to wine merchants, the very fact that they were foreigners might raise some alarm. The Faith's declaration of war against the Valyrians implicitly applied to anyone who did not look like they belonged to Westeros and the moment that they appeared, the Valemen could kill them and thus endangering the raid. However, he also realized that the Valemen were just like any other he had deal with. _Give them food or drink that isn't common where they grew up, they will bend over to what I ask of them, _Kenzou thought.

The final rays of the sun were clear in the sky, which mean that they only had an hour at the most. Whoever ruled anywhere would usually retire for the evenings before the last ray disappeared from the day, which indicated that they didn't have much time left. "Let's pick it up," Kenzou ordered to the others.

Finally, they got within sight of the Eyrie, which marveled Kenzou as he had never seen a fortress so high up the mountains. But the Arryns' belief that their location would protect them would be their undoing, as they were now complacent.

"Hold up!" Kenzou heard as a few Arryn men-at-arms emerged from behind some boulders. "Who are you strangers?"

Kenzou cleared his throat, as he tried to find the right sentences to say. "We come in peace, good ser. We just want to conduct business with your Queen."

The men-at-arms stared at each other with confusion. "Where are you from?"

"We come from Norvos," Kenzou answered, guessing that they didn't know what Norvosi looked like. _I haven't been there myself._

"You're a long way from home, traveler," one of the men-at-arms noted. "What kind of business do you wish to conduct with Her Grace?"

"Just a simple exchange of goods," Kenzou revealed his case of Arbor gold. "You have no idea how difficult it was to get this past through the lines."

The men-at-arms were pleasantly surprised that Arbor gold had made it all the way here, as even they knew how expensive it was and that much of the noble houses preferred that as their choice of drink. "How did you get this past our enemies?"

"Words will not be enough to describe how hard it was to get it through. And we have more with us. I understand that the Queen Regent is from the Reach herself, so she might enjoy a taste of home."

The men-at-arms conversed with each other before the leader nodded. "Come with us."

Kenzou and the men were escorted by the Arryn men-at-arms, past the gate and through the walls, where probably hundreds of other armed men stood at attention and vigilant against any threats from the outside. But they remained oblivious to the threat that they had just allowed passage through their defenses.

Even though they had just gained access into the Eyrie, which was proving itself bigger than it looked on the outside, Kenzou and the others had to remain alert. The hard part was coming and how they accomplished that would determine the rest of the storming.

Before they were able to enter the court, which Kenzou had learned was High Hall and had the infamous Moon Door that looked straight down to the ground thousands of feet below, they were stopped by another ranking man of the Eyrie garrison. "Who are they?" the older man asked the leader of the group that escorted them.

"They claim themselves as merchants from Norvos. They were able to smuggle Arbor gold past the front lines and into our doorstep."

"And that gave you enough reason to trust them?"

"Come now. You know how much Her Grace was seeking Arbor gold after her own stores had been consumed."

"Still, you should know that any outsiders, anyone that Her Grace wasn't familiar with, must be searched vigorously. They could've been spies."

Seeing how difficult this was becoming, Kenzou decided to step in. "If I may, good ser?" Surprisingly, the old man allowed Kenzou to say a few words. "You are right to be worried about spies, because I would take precautions myself. At the same time, we have a schedule to keep and our clients back in Norvos will not be pleased that their profits had been delayed. You might not care about my problems, but consider this: we are the only ones that possess what your queen desires and if you delay us any more, our clients back home might eliminate us for our offenses against their trust. That could be a detriment to you, since who could say that they smuggled probably the rarest sort of wine in times like these? I'm sure that your queen will not respond well."

The old man was surprised at how persuasive this merchant was despite Kenzou's obvious inability to speak the common tongue well. However, having known Sharra Arryn for years now, he wasn't going to risk her displeasure and could only sigh before allowing them entry into the High Hall. "Let them in. But please, make your business brief. Her Grace has more important matters to deal with besides her need for her favorite type of wine."

"Of course, good ser," Kenzou answered courteously before the doors to the High Hall and the Vale court opened.

As expected, there weren't many courtiers present at this time of day, but there was still enough to consider this gathering as a proper court. Kenzou glanced around at the people who held power in the Vale, similar to the very types that made him and his family fugitives. But he wasn't focused on them. His eyes turned to the throne of the Vale and the Mountain, upon which sat what many referred to as "the Flower of the Mountain," Sharra Arryn.

Kenzou looked at her up and down. She had black hair, swarthy skin, didn't look older than forty years, and brown eyes. She was wearing a dress made of blue threads and wore the falcon crown of House Arryn in place of her young son Ronnel, who Kenzou assumed was sleeping by this point. _That makes things much easier for me. Children can complicate things._

But Kenzou could sense something off about the atmosphere. It wasn't Sharra Arryn or the courtiers eyeing them with suspicion, but how tense they were to each other. The son of Konno Haru had heard that Sharra Arryn did not enjoy popular support in the Vale, starting from her origins being from the Dornish Marches in the Reach. Growing up in a flat environment developed a certain way of thinking that would not be compatible with those who lived in the mountains, as the latter sort tended to be hardier, and more inclined to seclusion. Despite the Dornish Marches being a battleground between the Reach houses there and the Dornishmen, it was still connected to the rest of the Reach and there was certain sense of belonging regarding the houses' ties to House Gardener. But in the Vale, such closeness was nonexistent and Sharra Arryn trying to exert influence over the houses without consideration of their different ways of thinking did her no favors.

Kenzou had seen those types before, those who assumed that their position gave them power and influence when both were really at the mercy of conditions beyond their control. To try to force your ways onto others was like trying to fight a current in the ocean, where resistance would only wear one out and make them more vulnerable to the many other dangers. And he could tell right away that with one strike at the right spot, Sharra Arryn's rule would come crumbling down.

"Your Grace," the old man addressed her. "I present to you these men from Norvos. They have come her to make trade."

Sharry Arryn eyed them suspiciously. "What brings you all the way out here, men from Norvos?"

"It is as he said," Kenzou mustered his best pronunciation in the common tongue. "We have come her to make trade."

"You've picked a very complicated time to do that. How did you get past the lines?"

"It might be a complicated time for you, Queen Sharra, but for the good people of Great Norvos and others who are not involved in your war, it's another day. And I believe that what I have will be of some interest to you," Kenzou answered.

"And what would that be?" Sharra Arryn became interested.

Kenzou nodded to the other men, who pulled out their cases of Arbor gold. The courtiers whispered to each other, as they all knew that Sharra Arryn's stores had run dry and that Arbor gold was one of the ways that she remained attached to her Reach roots.

"How did you get these?" Sharra Arryn's eyes widened.

"Being a neutral party does have its benefits," Kenzou said. "We were able to sail around Dorne, dock at the Arbor, purchase some cases, sail back around, and begin the voyage home. We thought we could make some extra coin selling to a queen born in the Reach, as only those from around the Arbor could really appreciate the quality of the wine."

Sharra Arryn smiled and signaled to her men to pack the cases up and bring them to her cellars. "Thank you, man of Norvos. I shall pay you handsomely for taking such risks to bring this to me." Kenzou nodded. "But I do have one question. Is it normal for Norvosi to shave?"

Kenzou blinked. "I'm sorry, Queen Sharra?"

"You see, I have interacted with a Norvosi trader before. He was not highborn, but he had a mustachio that drooped over his lips and grew past the upper lip. I don't know if that was an attractive feature for Norvosi man, but that trader said that all men had it. Which makes me curious as to why you don't have it."

Kenzou could grow a beard, but he chose to be clean shaven because cleaning a beard required a lot of effort than most people realized, which he didn't say.

"And on top of that, you don't like an average Norvosi. You do have the same skin tone, but your eyes and face do not fit it. Are you a recent arrival?"

As Sharra Arryn continued her inquiry, Kenzou could hear the faint sounds of sword clanging in the hallways of the Eyrie, but the sounds were dampened largely due to the heavy wooden doors closed. Realizing that the men were engaged, he needed to continue talking to buy time. "I was not originally born in Norvos, but I came there after I was forced to go into exile from my homeland. The Norvosi took me in and I've been loyal to that city since." To make the best lies, one had to bring experiences similar to the ones they were telling and reimagine them in different settings.

But Sharra Arryn was not completely satisfied. "And where are you from, man of Norvos?"

Kenzou couldn't say that he had the best hearing, but he could feel the soft footfalls of the men as they moved through the hallways with rapid speed. "I am from Yi-Ti, Your Grace," he was getting very tired of keeping up the façade.

Sharra Arryn was instantly shocked. "Yi-Ti? You're a long way from home. But… there's only one group of Yi-Tish men who would even be all the way here."

Kenzou signaled his hand subtly to his men to prepare to strike. "And who would they be, Your Grace?"

"They're the ones who came to Castely Rock and broke out Orys Baratheon, and also humiliated Loren Lannister. They're the men that Jaenyx Belaerys sends in to accomplish his dirty work, and they're known to infiltrate the strongest castles known to man," Sharra Arryn thought aloud.

As the courtiers and the guards slowly realized what she was talking about, Kenzou and the others readied themselves as the footfalls grew louder. Then, dual dragon roars could be heard.

"You are right," Kenzou answered. "I am Kenzou Haru, son of Konno Haru and brother of Arata. Your people killed my brother, and you will see what happens to those that fight against us."

Alarmed at what he just said, the guards put their hands on their weapons while the courtiers froze in fear. Kenzou and the five other men discarded their robes, revealing their swords and knives. Two of them threw shuriken at the guards, which weren't practical in killing but were very effective in creating distractions. This allowed them to close the distance and slash their exposed throats.

Kenzou and the other two unsheathed their katanas and wakizashis, running forward before jumping and side-kicking against the Arryn bannermen's armor. Because their blades were single-edged, they were not effective against chainmail and plate armor, but the swords were sufficient enough for the shinobi to parry each of the Valemen's swords and strike at their weak points.

Kenzou saw that one of them was trying to run outside of the High Hall and call for help. Thinking quickly, he pulled out a knife, threw it at the back of his neck, and saw it strike its mark. Another tried to charge Kenzou with his longsword, but he acted fast enough by sliding to his side away from the strike, using his katana to slash off his hands, and then decapitate him with his wakizashi.

The doors to the other halls of the Eyrie burst open, from which more of the Haru men charged through and attacked the few remaining Arryn men in the court. All of them were bloodied and had cuts on them, but as far as Kenzou could see, no one who rode on the dragons was killed and they were able to use their full strength on the now exposed Vale court.

Seeing the rest of the Arryn guards and courtiers being overwhelmed, Kenzou ran up the throne where Sharra Arryn still sat, her face frozen in terror and fear, and brought his katana up to her neck. "Tell your men to lay down their arms, if you care about their lives."

"You have no honor," Sharra Arryn could merely whisper.

Kenzou had no time to debate with her. "Either you follow my command, or watch everyone in this hall from your incompetence. Your choice."

Sharra Arryn let out a few shaky breaths before shouting, "Put down your weapons." The Arryn men hesitated. "Do it now!" One by one, each of them dropped their swords, which the shinobi collected, while the courtiers were rounded up and forced on their knees.

Hearing Vhagar and Meraxes roar once more, Kenzou saw Visenya and Rhaenys enter the hall, still looking deadly in their dragon coats despite nearing the end of their pregnancy. The sisters approached Sharra Arryn, who became fearful at finally meeting the dragon warrioresses face to face.

"Good evening, Queen Sharra," Visenya addressed her. "Do you know who we are?" Sharra Arryn nodded. "Two dragons fly outside. Have one of your men put up a white flag on the parapet. If you refuse, many will be burned just like at Harrenhal." The Queen Regent of House Arryn had no choice but to comply.

"We shall speak in the morning, but you will be escorted to your quarters under guard. And you have nothing to fear for your sons, for no harm will come to them as long as you don't resist us from this point on," Rhaenys warned her softly. "Do you understand?" Queen Sharra nodded. "Kenzou, please take the queen to her chambers."

Kenzou gestured her to follow. "No tricks, or things will become bad for you." As they passed through the hallways, they saw more Arryn men being escorted to new quarters without their weapons while the first portions of their army had closed in on the Eyrie.

Only after they had Sharra Arryn secured were they able to relish the victory that they had achieved. They had taken a mountain fortress with relatively no casualties and through surprise and deception. _The war better end quickly from here, _Kenzou thought, as he knew that long wars rarely had positive outcomes.

**A/N: Had to include some fluff between our beloved dragon sisters :) **

**And even though I intend the Kenzou POV to be a one-shot, I wanted to show that the shinobi were not just known to attack at night. They used disguises and developed a reputation as experts in guerrilla warfare by hitting at the weak points in medieval Japan. I hope I was accurate in this. **

**And now, the Vale plot is coming to an end, but with the Vale out, the focus can now shift to the south, against the Lannisters and Gardeners. The situation of the war had just changed for the better.**

**Next, we see another one shot from the perspective of the Queen of the Vale and the Mountain, the last royal Arryn. **

**Thanks for reading. See you next time! **


	58. Sharra Arryn

**A/N: Hey guys! Hope you are all safe and healthy still! **

**Tis a sad moment when we lost Dame Diana Rigg just recently, who we all enjoyed as the Queen of Thorns. Olenna Tyrell added a very interesting and also refreshing element to ASOIAF/GoT, in that she was a noble lady who knew when to cut through the bullshit and was more than able to hold her own in the snakepit of King's Landing. And Diana Rigg's performance really brought her character to life, especially when she had the last laugh in the show (one of that season's few highlights). Lady Diana, you will be missed :( **

SHARRA ARRYN

Sharra Arryn was escorted to her own solar in the Eyrie by the Yi-Tish men clad in black. They were led by an old man named Konno Haru, a newly-created lord sworn to the dragons, and his son Lord Kenzou. They brought twenty men with them to attack her adopted home and they overwhelmed the Eyrie garrison by disguising themselves as merchants from Norvos. She knew instantly that they were lying, but she decided to see how far their lies would go. However, she didn't expect them to suddenly attack and her home already breached.

After the garrison surrendered, a few thousand northmen along with the bannermen of the recent defector Symond Royce came to secure the Eyrie and disarmed all men sworn to House Arryn. She cursed the Royce name as well as the houses of Belmore, Hunter, Redfort, Corbray, and others who had failed her house by declaring neutrality, being beaten, or defecting in hopes of getting a higher station. However, she dared not say ill of them, for the reputations of Rhaenys and Visenya had preceded the both of them. _Queen Rhaenys is the amiable one, while Princess Visenya is the unforgiving type. Best take my chances with Rhaenys if possible._

Her first concern was for her sons Ronnel and Jonos, as well as for their cousin Prince Hubert. As they shared the same Arryn grandfather, they were the only male heirs who could wear the falcon crown, if the dragons would allow them to continue to wear it. And she knew that the dragons declaring themselves the new rulers of Westeros, that was an unlikely possibility. Most importantly, Ronnel and Jonos were boys and she had tried very hard to insulate them from the intricacies and politics of the Vale court, determining to teach them how to rule when they were old enough. _I waited too long then._

Sharra Arryn had hailed from the Uplands, her father being a second son of Lord Mullendore and sworn to Oldtown. The King of the Vale and the Mountain had gone to Oldtown to pay his respects to the Starry Sept and she accompanied her father there to meet with the Hightowers, their overlords below the Gardener kings. The Vale king took notice of her and she felt her skin crawl at getting the attention of an old man, to which her father scolded. Fortunately, the old Vale ruler reassured her by saying that he already had a queen and was on the lookout for a woman for his son. Before she left Oldtown, she got a letter with the seals from Lord Hightower and the High Septon, which stated that she was to be married to the next King of the Vale and the Mountain and that their marriage was blessed by the Seven. Her father could not ignore a command from the highest religious authority in the land and from his direct superior, so he acquiesced. She was allowed to say her goodbyes before departing for the Eyrie.

Her new husband was a plain-looking man who nonetheless showed understanding for her situation and didn't force her to anything that she didn't want to do. The whole of the Vale rejoiced when she gave birth to an heir and a spare, but joy didn't last as their king was killed in a jousting accident.

For the past decade, Sharra struggled to rule as queen regent and applied whatever she was taught about power and the ways of the Vale court as best as she could. However, her status as an outsider came back to haunt her and without her goodfather and husband, the only protection that she had were her sons and their cousin Hubert, who was sympathetic and offered to defend her.

Sharra realized too late that outside of the Eyrie, her regency was not met with universal approval and her Reach ways caused many to be alienated from her. It should've been no surprise that resistance against the dragons both in the riverlands and in the Vale itself had crumbled quickly and now the Valemen would blame her for showing to all of Westeros that the mountains that they called home would not protect them. _Their homes could be burned by the dragons, meaning that the Valyrians now have power over us, _she thought with fear.

Seated across her were Rhaenys and Visenya. Although both were heavily pregnant, Sharra guessing that their birth was only mere weeks away, she had to admit that their youth and their beauties had outmatched her own. Rhaenys was the more graceful of the two, while Visenya carried a harshness about her that was only matched by her attractiveness. Standing around them were two northern ladies and a northern man, the last one with a large red wolf creature seated next to him. _That must the direwolf, and so he must be Brandon Snow, _Sharra recognized.

"Thank you for joining us, Queen Sharra," Rhaenys started. "I hope your new situation has not been to trying for you."

"Where are my sons?" Sharra had to know.

"They're still here in this castle, although you will not see them until we are satisfied with your conduct," Visenya answered.

"My conduct?" Sharra asked.

"As you are the regent for the Eyrie and of this kingdom, we in effect hold control over the Vale. Our position here has been strengthened with the defection of House Royce to our cause and the neutrality and surrender of many other key houses," Rhaenys explained. "There is no question that this kingdom has been beaten by us. But whether there will be an Arryn left in the Vale will depend on how you behave at this moment."

"How must I behave?" Sharra inquired, confused.

"First of all, there will no longer one who wears a falcon crown," Visenya told her. "The days of House Arryn ruling as kings are over and our family will tolerate no other wearing crowns. There are only two families who shall carry ruling privileges, both of which I belong to."

Sharra tightened her jaw, such things unacceptable in her mind. "The Vale has been ruled by House Arryn for thousands of years—"

"And that ends today," Rhaenys reminded her. "I am inclined to appoint a house that will be pliable to our interests and one who has proven themselves worthy of the rewards we will grant them. But… I am not blind as to completely wipe out House Arryn. Your adopted family, as you say, had ruled this kingdom for thousands of years and it might be for the best to keep them where they are, but tied to the dragons."

Sharra blinked. "You would do that?"

"Only if you meet certain conditions," Visenya said. "We've already discussed this with our husbands and they have agreed on a plan to be applied to enemy kingdoms." She gestured for Brandon, who nodded.

"Queen Sharra, the dragons and the northmen are more than prepared to return to the sword and to fire. We are many, we are everywhere in this kingdom at this point, and we are dangerous. With the allegiance of the mountain clansmen, your bannermen will not know peace for many years to come." Sharra gulped. "However, in exchange for their lives and for your families, there are exactly five terms that you have to agree to in order for peace to return to the Vale."

"And what would be those five terms?" Sharra crooked her neck at the bastard brother of Torrhen Stark.

"First, you must bend the knee to Houses Targaryen and Belaerys as the sole rulers of this continent. You must relinquish your crown and your royal titles and from this day forward, you shall be known as Lady Sharra Arryn and your sons Lord Ronnel and Lord Jonos."

Sharra hitched her breath. _Oh, no._

"Second, you must agree that the rulership of the Vale be turned over to a council of three for a period of years until the dragons are satisfied with your conduct. You will be included on that council, but Symond Royce and someone already sworn to us will have equal powers and will serve at our discretion."

Sharra tried very hard not to react badly, but the idea of serving alongside a traitor and a Valyrian was proving much for her.

"Third, you will provide various grants of land for the Vale mountain clansmen as a token, since the Arryns pushed their ancestors out of the lowlands and thus this will be their return back to their ancestral homes."

"You want me to give lands to barbarians?" Sharra balked at that.

"The ancestor of the family you married into forced them into the mountains, but unless you want to debate who has the right to lands in the first place, which will not end well for you, allow Lord Snow to finish talking," Visenya commanded.

Sharra struggled to acquiesce, for even they were both women of power, she had been exercising it for many years before the rise of the dragons and she could claim a much richer lineage than the Valyrian houses combined. But she wisely kept her mouth shut.

"Fourth, all of the Valemen will be given a choice to fight alongside us against our enemies in the south. Lord Royce made the first move and more of his bannermen will join our armies, but you will not interfere and instead oversee the recruitment of houses and the delivery of supplies."

Sharra sighed before nodding.

"Lastly, to ensure that you will not try anything that will be detrimental to our interests, your sons Ronnel and Jonos will come to Dragonstone and then our fort on the Blackwater Rush to begin their fostering period."

Sharra stood up. "No! I will not part with my sons!"

Bethany Mormont was prepared to unsheathe her Valyrian steel bastard sword, which had a bear pommel on it, while Lyanara Mormont readied her mace, but both Rhaenys and Visenya put up their hands and gestured them to stand down.

"I understand, Queen Sharra. Truly," Rhaenys exhaled. "I myself carry a child in my womb, and so does my sister. My heart will be torn apart if I was to see my children leave my presence for even a little bit, and I know what good motherhood is thanks to our own mother. And most importantly, they are not at the stage to really understand the intricacies of politics and even the hardships that make up life."

Sharra was struck. "If you claim to understand, then why are you doing this? Why are you taking my sons from me?"

"Because of you," Visenya made clear. "You chose to enter the war on the Faith's side and you lost. As you were the leader of the Vale, you have to face the consequences of your decisions. However, we also have to take into account that you acted beyond your authority as regent by declaring war on us."

"I'm sorry, Princess Visenya," Sharra was stumped. "How exactly did I act beyond my authority? I am the Queen Regent of the Vale."

"Yes, you are the regent, but even that position has its limits," Rhaenys pointed out. "A regent, from what I've learned, is mainly responsible for administering the lands under the control of rulers in their minority and their powers also include the declaration of war. But that last power is reliant on the survival of the realm they're responsible for and prior to your war against us, the Vale was secure and safe. So, you had no reason to declare war on us when we didn't threaten you."

"I must correct you on that point, Queen Rhaenys," Sharra answered. "Your dragons burned Harrenhal and wiped out House Hoare all to a man. You felled Argilac Durrandon. And you brought unholy practices to our lands. I only did what I thought was necessary in order to safeguard not just my house, but every land and house sworn to the Faith."

"I don't believe so," Visenya shook her head. "You might be a pious woman, but your only concern was to ensure your own power. And there is nothing better to safeguard your authority than through war."

"And what evidence do you have to support that?" Sharra was trying to deny.

"Good thing that our brother, Orys Baratheon, knew exactly what Loren Lannister was trying to extract from him when he was enduring torture," Visenya crossed her arms. "Besides trying to dissolve his marriage to Argella, you offered to legitimize him as a Targaryen and annex the Blackwater Bay into your realm. Although I am not quite sure how you would accomplish that, given that the Vale would have been burdened with ruling the bay and that your kingdom does not have the ships needed to defend it."

Sharra gulped, her role in Orys' sufferings revealed. Rhaenys and Visenya's eyes hardened, while Brandon Snow and the Mormont ladies watched in curiosity.

"In any other situation, I would say that I would have also considered your choices, since you are a woman alone in power and you were an outsider, so you did what you thought was necessary to guarantee protection and also bolster your support," Rhaenys stated. "But you made the mistake of trying to have our brother act against us, which wouldn't have worked to begin with, and the fact remains that you tried to gain something at our expense. If we were really heartless, we wouldn't have come into the Eyrie. This fortress would be engulfed in flames right now and none of you would have survived."

Sharra paled, as her imagination of Harrenhal on fire returned very vividly.

"As you can see, we came to conquer, but we will not engage in wanton violence," Rhaenys continued. "We gave houses in the Vale a choice and some were wise enough to take it while others had to experience fire in order to see reason. And that's what we're offering you. We can't ask your sons Ronnel and Jonos to act, as they're too young to understand, but you and Hubert Arryn will suffice."

"Where is Hubert?" Sharra asked with some worry.

"Confined to quarters," Visenya then tapped her fingers on the table. "Bend the knee to us right now and you shall live, along with your sons and your nephew Hubert. I don't have to tell you what the consequences will be if you refuse to do so."

Sharra breathed shakily, as she had never bowed to any other man or woman in decades. And bending the knee to women younger than herselves and who had no previous claim to crowns was an insult more than what she thought she could take. House Mullendore's roots were deep and they emphasized loyalty, loyalty that had transferred to House Arryn.

However, Sharra Arryn also considered that the Eyrie was now fully occupied. Most threateningly, there were two dragons flying about and the riders before her had no compunction in using them if they really had to. Moreover, thousands of northmen were in the immediate vicinity of the Eyrie, making any chance of reinforcement all but impossible. She eyed nervously at the red wolf next to Brandon Snow, who looked at her with expectation.

_My duty is to House Arryn, and I must keep them alive. _She fulfilled her obligations in giving House Arryn heirs, but they could no longer survive with crowns atop their heads. So now, she needed to ensure that they grew up into fine men and that the Eyrie remains in the hands of an Arryn. Swallowing her pride and taking a deep breath, she looked resolutely at the leaders of her enemies.

"What must I do?"

Visenya pointed to the floor. "Bend the knee, and we shall talk further."

Tightening her fists, she went on one knee and lowered her head. "As the queen regent of the Kingdom of the Vale and the Mountain and behalf of House Arryn, I, Sharra of House Arryn, born in the Uplands to Lord Mullendore, swear fealty to House Targaryen and House Belaerys, new rulers of Westeros." The words came out very slowly, and she felt the weight of each one.

Both Rhaenys and Visenya approached her, with the warrior dragoness bidding her to rise. "From this day forward, you shall be known as Lady Sharra Arryn and any other Arryn with royal titles shall forfeit them while assuming lordly ones. We will not make you Lord Paramount of the Vale like we did with House Stark, House Blackwood, and our brother, for you must demonstrate your loyalty to our families from now on. Henceforth, the Council of the Vale shall assume their seat in the Eyrie, with Symond Royce and one from a northern house ruling alongside yourself. We will determine whether your family will be retained as the Vale's overlords at another time."

Sharra nodded solemnly. "Very well… Your Grace," she hesitated.

"Now, let's take you to your sons. As you swore loyalty, consider this a small reward," Rhaenys smiled as she made Sharra follow them out of the solar.

Again, Sharra Arryn walked through the halls of the castle that was no longer her home. Through a window, she could see that the banners of House Arryn have been replaced with the red three-headed dragon of House Targaryen and the singular blue dragon of House Belaerys. Stark banners also flew all over the castle, signaling to all who were in charge now. _Thousands of years of rule now gone… ancestors, please forgive me, _she prayed.

Approaching a door with two guards with the Umber sigil, Sharra's heart stopped at the sound of two boys playing through the door. The guards dipped their heads at Rhaenys and Visenya before opening it, showing her two young sons playing with their toys. Upon seeing their mother, they ran up to her while she knelt down and hugged them tightly.

"Mother!" they squealed.

"My boys," she sighed in relief. "I am so happy that you're all right."

Kissing their cheeks, she saw Ronnel and Jonos staring at both Rhaenys and Visenya. "Are those the dragon ladies, mother?" they both asked innocently.

Sharra hesitated before she nodded. "Yes. She's Queen Rhaenys Targaryen," she pointed to her before moving to Visenya. "And that's Princess Visenya."

"Can the dragons fly like those who jump through the door?" Ronnel asked.

Sharra had to wince, since she didn't yet teach her eldest son and king what the Moon Door really was. "Their dragons don't need to jump down in order to fly, my son. They can fly on their own."

"Can we fly on them, mother?" Jonos spoke for his brother.

Sharra was unsure how to answer that, since that was something that she couldn't give them. _They knew no wants and I did the best I could for them until now, but that… I don't know._

Fortunately, Rhaenys knelt down, carefully holding her belly, and smiled at the boy king. "It's good to meet you, Ronnel," she said softly. "My, my, you are a pretty boy, just like your mother." The boy king gave a wide smile at her praise. "How old are you both?"

"Seven name-days," Ronnel answered.

"Six name-days," Jonos said to her.

"You want to ride on dragons?" The boys nodded eagerly, as if their dreams were about to come true. "But first, what have you heard about them?"

"That they breath fire and can fly higher than any man who jumped from the Moon Door," Jonos stated. "I want to see the top of each hill."

"And I want to fly," Ronnel was gleeful.

Rhaenys and Visenya shared a look of amusement, as before them was not a king and a prince but merely two boys just trying to enjoy their childhoods.

"If your mother allows you to, I will glad you take you on a ride. My sister Visenya will take the other," Rhaenys told them.

"Mother, can we ride on them? Please?" Ronnel asked with wide eyes.

"Please, mother. I want to fly," Jonos gave her a pleading face.

Sharra was fearful of what would happen if they were to fly, especially since just moments before, they were still of the main line of Arryn kings. However, she wasn't going to deny her sons and given how Rhaenys and Visenya were acting towards them and the fact that they would become mothers soon made her assured that they wouldn't harm children.

"Of course," she kissed the cheeks of both of her sons again while they squealed in delight.

"Come on," Rhaenys gently grabbed Jonos' hand as she led him out. "Let's show you how wondrous the view is from the back of a dragon."

Visenya grinned softly at Ronnel. "Come on, Your Grace. Let's go." She stopped to give one more look at Sharra. "We'll be careful with them, my lady."

"Thank you," Sharra nodded gratefully. She followed her boys out into the yard of the Eyrie, where the orange dragon named Vhagar and the silver dragon named Meraxes, both named after Valyrian deities, awaited their riders. The dragons were hesitant in letting strangers, even children, on their backs, but Sharra witnessed the power of the dragonlords as they both scratched their snouts and calmed them down before helping her sons onto their dragons. They then climbed on and as the guards cleared a space, Sharra heard both Rhaenys and Visenya yell "Sōvegon!" before the two dragons jumped into the air.

Letting out a nervous exhale that she had but also trusting the dragon women to give her sons a good time, she walked back into the Eyrie and found Brandon Snow leading Albar, the Eyrie's septon and representative of the Starry Sept, into the Sky Cells. "Lord Snow!" she called out to him. But her approach towards the bastard brother of Torrhen Stark was halted at his large red wolf looking at her with apprehension.

"Yes, my lady?" Brandon asked.

"What are you doing with Septon Albar?" Albar had been the one who advised her to accept Mern Gardener's invitation to the Arbor and thus had been a key advisor in the war for the Faith.

"He was anointed by the Faith and therefore is a threat against our cause. He must therefore be confined until he is no longer judged to be such," Brandon answered in a matter-of-fact tone.

"What is threatening about a holy man? He's not armed nor can he fight," Sharra tried to protect him.

"No, he can't do both," Brandon admitted. "But we are at war with the Faith of the Seven and their appointed leaders, so we cannot take any chances." Feeling that she had more to say, he had his men lead Septon Albar always while the red wolf remained at his side.

"Surely, you don't think that suppressing the Faith would be a wise idea, considering that the Vale was the first land to be converted," Sharra tried to reason with him.

"It's going to be a long process to dismantle their power in this kingdom and there might be some fool believing that it will be wise to mount a rebellion to stop the change," Brandon accepted that possibility. "But the time of the Faith as the supreme authority in Westeros will end. The only question that remains is what the Andals and the rest of you lot will do."

"And how do you think we'll act when you take away something that is central to the fabric of our morals and society? People have prayed to the Seven for thousands of years and they celebrated every one of their holy days with zeal, so you risk disrupting their lives."

"In the beginning, yes," Brandon didn't deny that. "Then again, people prior to the coming of the Andals prayed to the old gods for thousands of years before and had a peace with the Children of the Forest before the Andals disrupted the natural balance that existed on this continent and then proceeded to cut weirwoods and kill the Children in droves."

Sharra sighed. "Please don't tell me that you believe in such superstitions."

"Of course, you would call them that," Brandon was not impressed. "The fact is that your ancestors killed what was here before in such high volumes that what remained of the old ways had become but a whisper. And we both know just how shaky whispers are."

Sharra stared hard into Brandon's eyes. "Remind me again please, Lord Snow. What exactly does House Stark gain from helping the Valyrians? You might have a strong antipathy towards those who follow the Seven, but the Valyrians are of a foreign nature and are an antithesis to everything that of Westeros. Not even the followers of the old gods tolerated incest."

"I won't deny that," Brandon nodded. "But there's one thing that we share in common, and it's an important similarity. It's respect towards true power, not power gained from how much lands you have, how many bannermen you can call on, whether your weapons are superior to your enemies', and whether your castles can withstand countless sieges. All of that is at the mercy of the power derived from the elements, in this case fire and ice, and that respect is something you and your people have lost over time."

Sharra narrowed her eyes at Brandon. "So… you think that your alliance with the dragons will ensure that the power you speak of returns?"

"Not return. The powers I speak of have always been in plain sight, but they've become weaker. The northmen backing the dragons is the chance for the power, or magic if you need to understand clearly, to reemerge in full force. Only then can the light shine upon the peoples of these lands again."

Sharra was not very sure. "I doubt that, Lord Snow."

"Then again, great power has always baffled the minds of small people," Brandon stated condescendingly. "You really thought that Orys Baratheon would betray his family just to get legitimized and be lord of a small place while swearing loyalty to you and surrendering control of the Blackwater Bay? That's the problem with how people view us bastards. Given the right upbringing and the right amount of love, we won't see our trueborn families as ones who will forever remain distant. I grew up seeing Torrhen as my brother and nothing else, the same applying to Orys and his siblings. The other thing that we have in common with the dragons is that we value family above everything else, since friends don't last forever. Whereas for you, you never grew up with such value placed on family and only learned to rely on fair-weathered friends."

Those words hit a sore spot for Sharra, as "fair weather" accurately described the behavior of her sworn lords and bannermen in her time of need.

"Power and wealth can only get you so far before they both fail you," Brandon continued. "Take it from me. I was castellan of Winterfell and I learned to never put my faith in friendships since they never last."

Sharra was taken aback. "Then how were you able to manage such an important position?"

"You should know that it's never wise to reveal your true feelings in any situation. In addition, the northmen respect strength and that respect would only last as long as you can match their strength and operate by their rules," Brandon explained. "Fortunately for me, being the brother of Torrhen Stark and being an able man all by myself allowed to last for a long time in the cold of the North."

Sharra nodded, trying to understand. "How was this alliance between your people and the dragons consummated?"

"Simple. A betrothal and their guarantee that they would respect the sovereignty of the North in all but name. My brother Torrhen might no longer be a king, but he won't need a crown to continue ruling the Northern kingdom," Brandon revealed.

"A betrothal? Between whom?" This, Sharra had to know.

"King Aegon's and Queen Rhaenys' first child and Torrhen's child," Brandon answered.

_Of course. _"Let me guess. The child in Rhaenys' womb is a boy and the unborn Stark a girl?"

"Torrhen already has heirs, and this child, my niece, will secure the future."

"You seem so sure about the child's gender. Why are you so certain?"

"Because the future has been revealed to me in glimpses, but what I see only serves as an indication and not what will for sure come to pass," Brandon said.

"What kind of power is that?"

"It's an ability that has been passed into rumor in the south, one that allowed the future to be looked at in small doses. It's something that once defined the Children of the Forest and the First Men who made peace with each other."

Sharra searched through her mind before she realized what he was talking about. "Come now. Greensight is a myth," she stated in disbelief.

"As much as dragons are, and yet you see them flying about," Brandon refuted. "But I will not try to persuade you, for whether you believe is on you."

Just then, they heard the dragons come back. Sharra and Brandon returned to the yard, where they saw Vhagar and Meraxes land and their riders slide off while carefully handling Ronnel and Jonos. She hugged her sons tightly once more.

"How was it, my sons?" she asked them.

"Mother! It was spectacular!" Ronnel exclaimed. "We saw the top of mountains and the rivers and clouds!"

"I felt like I was flying like a falcon, seeing everything below me and being like the ones who jumped out the Moon Door."

Sharra had to remind herself on what the door really did one day, but she wasn't going to ruin their fun today. "I'm glad you enjoyed it, my sons. Now, go back into the castle. I'll play with you soon." The boys ran back, still excited from the rush of their dragon ride, as their mother turned to Rhaenys and Visenya. "What do you require from me, Your Graces?" For treating her sons well, she was going to give them a chance.

"First, we require you to help assemble as many willing Valemen to the Bloody Gate as possible. As you now serve us, you must prove your worth and the wisdom in our decision to let you live," Visenya was blunt.

"After that, you must ensure that the Vale continues to supply our armies with food and another necessary items," Rhaenys added. "Also, prepare lands for the mountain clansmen, for they shall return to live amongst the lowlands."

Sharra knew that she would face protests, but she simply bobbed her head. "It shall be done."

_From a queen to a lady… how much lower can this be? _she resigned herself as the Vale had now become part of the new realm under the dragons.

**A/N: **

**This was a one-shot for Sharra Arryn's POV. I hope you all like her characterization. **

**And I had to include the dragon riding for Ronnel, this time with both dragon women and with his brother. Now Sharra Arryn cannot be bitter towards the Valyrians since they treated her sons so well. **

**Thus, the Vale has collapsed, and the threat in the south can now receive its overdue focus. **

**Next, we see what's been happening down there. **


	59. Orys VII

**A/N: Hi, guys! Hope you are still doing well. **

**Been busy as of late, but I am still trying to update as regularly as I can. Any understanding from you would be appreciated. **

ORYS VII

Orys looked out and saw the full moon shine through the clear night skies and the deep calm waters. He looked from the captain's place on the ship and it was his trained eyes and remembering where his ships were that allowed him to see the fleet that would take part in the next stage of their struggle. He felt his fingers and hand twitch, the anxiety evident to him. But by this point, he learned to embrace his worries, for they kept him alert and reminded him of just how large the odds were stacked against him. _Anyone who says that they're not afraid are either lying or something is not right with their head, _he told himself.

After sinking those few dozen ironborn ships using speed, surprise, and overwhelming force simultaneously, Orys found himself a bit disappointed that the Redwynes and ironborn didn't continue to attack him since they still enjoyed the numerical advantage. However, he started to apply the tried-and-true method of thinking like his enemy using what he knew of their tactics and mindset. He also used his time as the Lord Paramount of the Stormlands well to understand politics, allowing him to have another angle on the situation of the enemy before him.

It was a fact that the ironborn and Redwyne fleets vastly outnumbered his own, and that their captains and sailors had more seaworthy experience than he commanded. Moreover, they were close to their homes and thus had a strong reason to offer stiff resistance to Orys' movements while being able to call on their knowledge of the local landscape. He knew very well that he was heading into waters that he did not control, and he did not enjoy most of the advantages that he had while commanding land armies against the Reachmen.

But two factors worked in Orys' favor. The Redwynes and ironborn might have enjoyed a massive fleet, but the Redwyne vessels were not directly controlled by the king in Highgarden and their captains only followed the orders of Lord Redwyne, who enjoyed discretion in how he used his ships. That meant that while King Mern might have wanted the Arbor ships to be used aggressively, Lord Redwyne could instead use them to protect his home island and in more defensive purposes. And as stated before, relations between the Redwynes and the ironborn were poor, with well-documented animosity. _Division amongst the commanders works in our favor._

So far, the vessels sworn to the Arbor remained either anchored at Ryamsport or protecting the Shield Islands against both him and the ironborn should they decide to double-cross them. That split their strength over great distances, but both halves still outnumbered him and enjoyed the defensive advantage.

Orys knew that if he wanted to have a chance at winning, he needed to force the enemy fleets to fight him on his own terms. But he would have to employ certain strategies for that to happen, which included diversion and deception. Calling a meeting of his captains on his flagship, Orys outlined the situation and asked for suggestions.

"We cannot directly assault the Arbor," one of the captains started with. "We don't have the manpower to storm and hold Ryamsport, Starfish Harbor, and Vinetown."

"And the Shield Islands are too far away and attacking them would leave us vulnerable against both the Redwynes and the ironborn," another captain pointed out.

"We certainly can ignore a storm on Oldtown, for the same reasons that we cannot storm the Arbor," another captain added. "However, given our numerical differences, attacking the Whispering Sound allows us some options."

"And what would they be?" Orys asked.

"By getting close to Oldtown, we'll be in a position to threaten the city and thus forcing the Redwynes and the ironborn to come to us, because they both know that should Oldtown be cut off, their hold on the Sunset Sea would be in danger. We can then wait and thus use the narrowness of the bay to funnel them and thus take away their numerical advantage."

"That might only work if we were to take both Blackcrown and the Three Towers," another captain pointed on the makeshift map. "With both of those castles in our hands, we can control the approach to Oldtown and thus put more pressure on the Reach."

"The enemy will also know that and will accordingly reinforce those castles to prevent us from successfully taking them," yet another captain stated. "And storming castles require siege equipment and time, both of which we do not have unless you want to make siege towers and trebuchets from the very ships we need."

As Orys listened deeply to the discussion, he saw that everyone had a point. Everyone in the war was aware that a good way to make the Reach collapse was to put pressure on the lands along the Honeywine, the most populous and wealthiest part of the kingdom, and the key towards that was to either threaten or cut off Oldtown. Whatever the fleets were, all of them would sail towards Oldtown in order to protect it.

But even with the captain's suggestion of using the tightness of the Whispering Sound to negate the enemy's advantage in numbers, that still left them vulnerable for the bay was still large enough for big fleets to maneuver around. And there were no isles in the bay itself, which would force them to fight in open waters and that was a situation that Orys had to avoid, for his smaller fleet would be overwhelmed.

While he was thinking that, a thought entered his mind. _Maybe we don't need to sink all of their ships. Just enough of them and ships captained by those in high regard in the Reach in order to cripple their strength at sea. _Thus, a plan was formed, causing him to turn to Erik. "Erik, how quickly can the ironborn raid a certain place before leaving just as fast?"

Everyone was surprised that Orys asked that, more so that he addressed an ironborn turncoat. However, they all paid him the attention that was due. "My lord, ironborn would only require a few hours to conduct their reaving before getting back on their boats and moving on?"

"And how quickly can the ironborn move from one place to another?"

"It all depends, but the fastest that I've seen them move between places was between a day and two."

_Perfect. _"How many men would you need to pull off a reaving in towns rich in bounty?"

Erik did not expect that. "I'm not sure. Which towns are we talking about, my lord?"

"Any town along the shores of the Whispering Sound," Orys answered.

Erik thought about that. "If we want to strike one town, maybe fifty men. But if you're aiming for multiple towns, I would need at least five hundred."

"My lord, why are you asking this?" a captain spoke up.

"Everyone knows that Oldtown is the key to victory in these parts. We don't have the strength to attack that city, but we can make them think we are, and they'll have to respond, especially if they see ironborn reaving it."

Erik immediately caught on to what Orys was suggesting while it took the captains more time to understand. "You want us to employ subterfuge against the enemy?"

"And it will achieve two results: more distrust of the ironborn by the Reachmen, and the enemy will have to assemble their fleets to sail to Oldtown. Meanwhile, our objective would be the fleet anchored at Ryamsport," Orys pointed to the major port of the Arbor. "Surely, that fleet is led by those closely associated with House Redwyne and possibly those who have blood relations there, while they are all under the personal command of Lord Redwyne. If we can send every one of those ships to the bottom of the sea, the Arbor will be exposed and easier to tackle. And like with the Whispering Sound, we can use the terrain to our advantage, as both approaches to Ryamsport will have to sail pass Mermaid's Palace. Once they start to sail pass that island, that will be our chance."

"My lord, how do you know which one is the pass that the Redwyne fleet will take?" a captain inquired.

"There's only one pass that leads directly to Oldtown," Orys pointed to the east side of Mermaid's Palace. "Now, the key to this plan is to make the enemy believe that we will move on Oldtown while concealing our true purpose. That is where the raids will come in, for nothing is more convincing in war than clashes near your objective or supposed, in this case. But more importantly, we will offer the enemy something that will make them respond."

"And what would that be, my lord?"

Orys pulled out a quill and a piece of parchment, quickly scribbling something down before stamping his seal on it. Passing it to the captain of his flagship, he read out the contents, which stated in no uncertain terms the fleet's intentions to move on both Blackcrown and the Three Towers.

"Won't that be an obvious ruse to the enemy?" a captain asked.

"We'll plant it during one of the raids and this letter, combined with the reaving, will force the Reach fleets to act. And that's how we will lure the fleet out of Ryamsport."

And that was the plan that the captains had agreed to, since they had no better ones to follow. Many were openly distasteful of using ironborn tactics, but they trusted Orys and watched as Erik sailed towards the southern shores of the Reach with his other ironborn defectors. Although many feared that they would engage in reaving and go back to their brethren at the first chance, Orys had made it clear to them all that should they betray them, "There will be nothing in this world that will stop me and the dragons from finding you and delivering to the deepest circle of hell where traitors and mutineers belong" were his words.

Another part of the deception relied on the fleet being moored just off the Isle of Pigs, as if poised to move on Oldtown. Orys counted on the Arbor inhabitants to see him and thus inform Lord Redwyne, who in turn would send a raven to Oldtown regarding the developments.

For a moment, Orys didn't recognize himself. He mostly considered himself a warrior first and a lord second, but he never thought that he would have to engage in deception and subterfuges to achieve his goals. _Both of that are Jaenyx's areas, not mine. _But he also remembered how his father ran Dragonstone and how even as the undisputed ruler at Storm's End, he could not fully trust his sworn lords to serve him without employing a little savvy to keep them in line. _I have taken a step in a necessary direction._

Two weeks later, the ironborn defectors returned to the fleet as promised. Besides bringing back much booty to share, Erik had planted Orys' letter on one of his crewmen, who was unfortunately killed. To ensure that the Redwynes would act as intended, Orys had Erik and one ship act as a scout at Ryamsport, where they would closely monitor the situation and see if the fleet was preparing to move.

_Looks like I'm becoming more like you, Jaenyx, _Orys thought. He could never claim to be as good in the secret arts as his goodbrother, but he sure hoped that his lessons so far would be able to help him win the battle ahead.

A week after Erik and his men came back, he returned to the anchorage off of the Isle of Pigs. Rushing aboard his flagship, Erik said to Orys, "Supplies are moving through the port and the ships are being loaded with cargo and men. They're about to move out of the harbor."

Orys stood straight at the information given. "Any idea on where they are headed?"

"I heard one of them shout that they had to move immediately to Oldtown."

_They took the bait! _Orys didn't expect the ruse to work so well, but he wasn't going to question his choices and he immediately sprung the fleet into action.

To mask their movements, Orys had them sail by night only and use the stars to find their way. By his estimations, the fleet at Ryamsport would pass by Mermaid's Palace just before they arrived there, allowing them some time to move into positions. To increase their chances of success, Orys intended a night battle, for the enemy would be more disoriented. And he forbade any of his captains to engage in melee combat until they could deal as much damage as possible through their missile weapons.

Learning to leave nothing to chance, Orys had also sent a message to his family in the stormlands, telling him of his current position and to help if possible. While he was sure that his plan had a good chance of success, there could no room for error and any of his family in the south had to fly down to him to burn the fleet with the dragons. _Just like at Gulltown, there really is nothing to stop a fleet from avoiding the flames of a dragon._

Eventually, his fleet arrived at the Mermaid's Palace, splitting into two as Orys took command of the eastern flank. He had the crewmen each cover their mouth with cloth, so as to prevent the enemy from even hearing their breathing. Orys also kept the fires hidden, to be used only when the first missiles flew through the air. They had to strike with surprise, for that was the only way that they would win.

Dropping anchor and signaling to the fleet to hide their sails, Orys waited as the hour of the wolf came, but the skies were clear, and the moon and stars could be seen. Scanning the surfaces of the waters around the Mermaid's Palace, he squinted his eyes at the bustling port of Ryamsport, its lights visible. Orys was careful to have the ships hugging as close to their respective shores as possible, using the shadows to hide them.

Eventually, Orys saw the sails of the Redwyne fleet emerge from the harbor, the grape sigil still visible against the moonlight. Gesturing for his crew to get ready, he trusted the other half to know when to strike.

When the enemy fleet were then made by the narrow pass by the Mermaid's Palace to funnel their ships and when they still didn't detect Orys' fleet, he turned to his captain of the flagship. "It's time. Commence the attack!"

Unsheathing his sword, he ran across the deck. "Attack! Attack! Release missiles!"

At once, the fires emerged from below the decks of the ships and after being lit, the crews hurled balls covered in oil and bolts tipped with flames towards the unsuspecting enemy vessels. As soon as the first missiles hit their mark, masts and sails became engulfed and shouting erupted across the fleet. Meanwhile, the other half of Orys' fleet, upon seeing their commander begin the attack, also proceeded forward.

From what Orys could make out clearly from the fires, the Redwynes had their fleet divided into three parts: one at the right flank, a main group in the center, and another at the left flank, both of the flanks nearest to the coasts. The faster and more maneuverable of the ships were at the vanguard and rearguard while the heavier vessels were in the center, a normal formation. But caught in the narrow crossing at the Mermaid's Palace, the advantage they had in numbers was negated.

Orys' fleet faced the enemy, with the other half closing on in enemy's other flank. With the ships under his direct command, Orys commanded the rest of the fleet, with the more maneuverable ships closing in on the enemy's center and rear, while Orys saved the two turtle ships for a later purpose.  
Immediately, the Redwyne fleet proceeded to attempt to force their way past the Mermaid's Palace, but soon they founded themselves in a jam and tried to recover a minimum of alignment. Seeing through the darkness thanks to the flaming missiles hurled against them, the two wings of Orys' flet threw themselves on the disordered enemy formation while releasing more missiles against them. At the same time, Orys kept the fleet back since the time to engage in melee combat was not yet. _We need to inflict more damage._  
In the narrow space formed by the Mermaid's Palace, crowded by hundreds of ships while surrounded by less than a hundred of the enemy, which they didn't know at the moment, crews and specialists at the service of the Redwynes were unable to put to use their superior training and their greater seaworthiness. Years, decades, even centuries of mastery over the sea proved useless in the face of surprise, the night, and fires.

A crewmember ran up to Orys. "My lord. We're running low on missiles."

Orys nodded. "Understood. Signal the turtle boats. Tell them to show their worth."

"At once!"

The captains of the turtle boats received Orys' signal, a beating of the war drum to a certain rhythm and pressed forward with help from their oars. Ignoring the flames of the ship, he saw several of the enemy crew try to board the turtle ships once they got close enough. But alas, they found no crew on the deck and were instead impaled by the spikes waiting for them at the top.

Through the fires, he saw a vapor being released from the phoenix heads, cover their immediate area with deadly smoke, while bolts and other types of missiles were being released from the portholes. Due to its design, the turtle ship proved very maneuverable, as it made tight turns between each of the ships while the enemy was unable to board it.

"Looks like Master Kajiwara should expect a nice reward for his contribution," Orys smiled. With the turtle boats causing confusion, he saw his opening and held up his war hammer before pointing it to the enemy ships in front of them. "Press forward, men! Attack!"

Eager to finally engage the enemy up close, Orys' ships complied and let out their best war cry as the distance between their vessels closed in. Each of the crew pulled out their weapons, a mix of swords, axes, maces, spears, and crossbows, while many others readied hooks and ropes.

Orys' flagship punched through the opening created by the turtle ships, which the other captains under his direct command also did. Coming up on their first target, he picked up a javelin and threw it against an enemy crewman who tried to board them, the force knocking him off of the ropes and back onto the deck. His crew threw the hooks and ropes onto the ship's railings, allowing them to board and seize the initiative. Seeing his men fight, he raised his war hammer, Thunderfist, and jumped on board.

Fighting his way through the enemy crewmembers while crushing skulls and ribs with his war hammer, he finally confronted the captain of that ship. He avoided the captain's swing with his sword before bringing his hammer down onto the blade, forcing it on the deck of the ship before it snapped in two under the hammer's weight. Before the captain could defend himself, Orys struck the captain in his jaw, undoubtedly crushing it before he fell onto the deck. Orys finished him with a strike against his skull, brains splattering and bone cracking against the wood. Seeing a bucket of tar, he grabbed it and threw it on the deck.

"Back to the ship, men!" Orys commanded. He did not leave the enemy ship, now emptied of its crew and captain, until the last of his men was back. Grabbing a torch, he launched it on the tar, igniting and causing the entire ship to catch on fire.

But as soon as Orys' ship had enough distance from their mark, they were soon set upon by two other Redwyne vessels simultaneously.

Acting quickly, Orys reorganized his men. "As soon as they are close, jump on their ships! Take the fight to them!"

Once both had neared his bow and his starboard side, Orys's crew jumped back into the fray. With the fires raging all around them and with their ship in danger of being captured, the crew fought harder than before, swinging and slashing wildly.

As for Orys, he picked up another javelin and threw it, forcing another enemy crewman back. Jumping onto the ship on his starboard, he swung Thunderfist in a circular fashion, driving off the enemy from him and giving him some space. He struck a cheek of one, broke a knee of another, smashed the breastplate of another, and so on. Like his men, he was fighting for his life, as two enemy ships next to his flagship could very easily turn bad for him.

Then, three enemy crewmen charged at him at once with axes. He was able to kill one by crushing his skull, but he had to move quickly with the other two since they were on his sides. Narrowly missing an axe swing, he punched that one in the face while kicking the other. Before both could recover, Orys crushed the first one's jaw and then landed a blow on the other's neck.

However, his crew on the flagship were becoming slowly decimated from the pressure. Many were dying and others were tiring from all of the efforts that they had to give from fighting multiple adversaries at once. For Orys, he too was getting exhausted. From the smoke in the air, the brightness of the fires, and the screams… never before had such a battle been so overwhelming to the senses.

Orys couldn't stop, since his life was at stake. And it wasn't just for his own sake that he was fighting, for he did fear death. He was thinking of the woman he had back in Storm's End, the one who showed him her secret places, and the one who taught him to never underestimate anyone. _I'm coming, Argella._

Before Orys got back to fighting, a screech pierced through the night. To anyone who was familiar with his family, they would know that only one creature had such a sound. "Dragons!" he heard someone shout.

As if on cue, dragonfire burst onto the enemy fleet, the flames as black as coal. It wasn't as powerful as Balerion's, pointing to Orys which dragon it was and who was riding? _Father?_

But realizing that he had no time to think more on his father's arrival, Orys ran straight for the captain of the other boat. He was too shocked at the arrival of the dragon and therefore missed Orys striking him in the back. "Push, men! Push!"

The crew fought back with a newfound fervor while their enemies were demoralized at how much damage the dragon had caused to their comrades. It was at that time that Orys saw the other half of his fleet show up.

In this great confusion, a large number of Redwyne ships ended up being boarded and, once at close range, the contingents of well-trained and angry stormlanders embarked on each of the ships eventually overcame the sailors and other soldiers of the Reach. The Redwyne crews, stimulated by the presence of their homeland, fought well, but the odds had shifted in favor of Orys. Bottled and unable to maneuver in the waters next to the Mermaid's Palace, the Redwyne vessels fell one by one under the blows of the stormlanders and the arrival of the dragon.

After some more moments of resistance, the captain of the ship on bow of Orys' flagship came forward. Approaching him, the captain asked, "Are you Orys Baratheon?" He nodded, wiping the sweat and ash from his brow. "I wish to surrender. I refuse to fight when you have an actual dragon in the sky."

Orys took his sword and bobbed his head. "I accept your surrender, captain."

In time, the rest of the surviving captains either surrendered and sailed back to Ryamsport, all of them too demoralized to fight further. By the time dawn came, over a hundred ships on the enemy side had been sunk with at least fifty captured and the rest falling back, while Orys' fleet suffered no ships lost and about a hundred men killed. _Amazing, _Orys tried not to count his blessings, but especially he could see what he had just achieved.

Seeing Vermidrexes land on the sandy shore of the Mermaid's Palace, Orys got a boat to row to him while he ordered his captains to blockade Ryamsport. When the boat touched the sand, he ran up to his father and hugged him.

"Kepa!" he cried out.

"My son," Aerion patted his back. "I'm so glad that you are all right."

"I am, considering the battle," Orys surveyed the damage on the seas. "I'm happy that you're here, but where's muña?"

"She's currently leading the troops from Ashford, which we recently took. Aegon and Jaenyx had to remain in the Reach while your sisters are coming down from the Vale."

Orys couldn't be prouder of his sisters, for they had achieved what many had thought would be impossible. But they both knew that with the Vale out of the war, the situation had changed for the better for them.

"So, my son, what plans do you have for Lord Redwyne?" he looked at Ryamsport. "I am quite thirsty for some Arbor gold."

"Aye, I shall get you some," Orys promised. "But first, I need to make sure that Lord Redwyne will be forced to talk with us. Considering that he just watched his fleet burn and that some of the captains in this battle were closely related to his house, it might be easier for him to talk to us."

"It will be. We must be quick, though. Your brothers and sisters need you further north."

Orys exhaled before nodding. "And I shall see them soon. But not before the sea belongs to us." At that moment, Orys began to think what he could do to coerce Lord Redwyne from staying out of the war or better, joining them. With his father at his side, that task would be easier. _Shame if I have to see the best winemakers on fire should they be obstinate, _he thought.

**A/N: The battle was based on Salamis, with a little something from Noryang Point. And for those who knew what the purpose of the turtle ship was, I hope I showed that well. **

**It would not be realistic strategically if all of the Redwyne ships were sunk, but just enough ships and close to home would deliver the desired effect. Plus, they're going to need the extra ships for the future. And yes, the father helps the son! **

**Next, the dragon reunion! **


	60. Aegon XI

**A/N: Hey, guys. How are you all been? **

**Sorry for the delay. Been going through some personal problems lately, which interfered with my writing. I hope you like this, for I am still doing the best I can. **

AEGON XI

He scooped her up and carefully carried her in his arms, his hand on her ass but being gentle with her, as Rhaenys was heavily pregnant. She giggled with delight as she tightened her fist on his shirt. Aegon chuckled happily, for it was a long while since he heard her laughter and always wanted to hear it every single moment. Closing his eyes as they neared the outside of his bedchambers, he had to have some privacy with Rhaenys. She didn't know if Rhaenys wanted to couple in the bed, on the floor, or wherever, but he would be fine either way. _I will carry her to the middle of the chambers and set her back down on her feet_. "Rhaenys, I want you so badly, but I'm worried we will go too far, too soon. You are soon to give birth and I don't want to hurt our child."

But just as quickly, he realized how foolish he was being, how… hesitant he was acting with his sister-wife, who had grown far from the flower that many others still saw her as.

"Aegon, I promise you. Our child will be fine, but..." She pauses, and hearing the hesitation in her voice, Aegon became concerned. He held his breath, waiting for her to finish with what she has to say.

"But?" He asked carefully.

Rhaenys placed her hand on his cheek. "But I really want to win that wager with Vis. I might not mind reading your letter to me, but I know that you don't like it when others outside of family read into our personal lives. I want you to fuck me, Aegon. And thrust into me hard. So… shall we do it on the floor?" she suggested, a blush creeping up her cheeks.

He pulled her against him by placing my hands on her hips. She growled as he began kissing her neck, her fingers running through his hair, encouraging him forward. His hand moves to cup her perfect breast above her fitted blouse. Their lips found each other's, and they smiled as they kissed, Rhaenys running the tip of her tongue along his bottom lip. Their lips then part, and their tongues began moving together. Rhaenys pulled him towards the bed while our hands roam slowly over each other's body. We kick off our shoes, and I pull her onto the cold floor, so that they were lying next to each other.

Suddenly, Rhaenys's hand was rubbing my shaft outside of his breeches. He groaned with pleasure. "Yes, I think we will sleep here," Rhaenys smiled into his ear.

"Good answer," he eased as he sensually slid his hand up her thigh and under her skirt. He placed my hand on her as, over her very tight small clothes. He kept his hand still, controlling his urge to touch her sweet lips._ I can already feel that she's wet for me._

"Don't be a tease," Rhaenys panted, as her hand began undoing the belt buckle at the top of my slacks. _Fuck, I really want her as I did the first time_. Aegon moved his hands away from her ass in order to pull down her gown. He smiled when he saw how luscious and sizable her breasts were, filled with the milk that will feed their child.

"Care to share why you are smirking?" Rhaenys teased him as she undid the rest of her gown, gently going over her pregnant belly, before pulling it down past her hips. He groan appreciatively as he rushed to catch up with her, pulling off his shirt over his head.

"Just thinking about how larger you look right now," Aegon jested smugly, quickly satisfied with how she gasped in mock offense.

"I do not look large," Rhaenys complained before nibbling on my earlobe.

Aegon take that moment to slip his fingers into her small clothes. _Gods, she is so wet for me_, he thought again. He began pleasuring her and she gasped loudly. Rhaenys groaned as he let herself get accustomed to his rhythmic strokes after so long. _I really do not want to get separated yet again._

"Oh my God, Aegon! Please don't stop," Rhaenys begged as she arched her back, pushing herself further into my hand. "It feels so good again."

Aegon rolled to lay on top of her, her legs automatically wrapping around his hips as his hand continues to touch and tease her. After a few moments, she began panting heavily, her hand wrapping around his wrist to encourage him to keep going.

My other hand started to squeeze her breasts, as he began licking and kissing her nipples. At once, she screamed out his name and came around his fingers as he set a steady pace to help draw out her orgasm.

Rhaenys collapsed under me while also tightening her legs around me. She began to rub her core against his hard cock.

"Tell me," she whispered.

"Tell you what, Rhae?" he groaned between kisses to her breasts. He took her left nipple into his mouth and gently rub the front of my teeth against the peaked nub. Rhaenys gasps loudly and pulls on my hair, causing Aegon to smile and follow with a sweet kiss.

"How will you help us win?" she panted, barely able to form a sentence. "I know you are trying to ease me back into it, but we should be going at this harder."

He smiled with one final kiss to each of her nipples. "I just want to savor this moment for a little while longer before that damn wager is on our minds again."

Rhaenys and Aegon make eye contact, and her eyes narrow. For a moment, Aegon worried that his words made her mad, so he quickly returned to the pleasurable ways to distract her from her anger.

But then she burst out laughing, allowing Aegon to breathe out in relief. "My, my. Such a sweet one, as always." Rhaenys giggled. "As you wish, my king. But please hurry. I want us to win the wager."

Aegon smiled appreciatively as his eyes roamed her beautiful body, even with her pregnant belly. Rhaenys laughed while sitting up while tightening her hold on Aegon's body. Rhaenys looked at his gambeson and raised her eyebrows, almost challenging him.

Aegon felt his pulse race, as he undid them and slid them off. At that moment, his erect cock was now very evident from underneath his small clothes. Rhaenys smiled at him, amused and pleased, and he grinned back and pulled her close to him. His hands on her hips once more, Rhaenys placed her hands over mine. She bit her lower lip while grinning at me, as they both pull his small clothes down and off.

"I want to taste you, like the last time," Aegon whispered in her ear. "I ache to put my mouth on your entrance and make you scream my name."

Rhaenys trembled in his arms. "Of course, like always. But I want your cock in my mouth first," she commanded while pushing me to lie on my back.

_Oh, fuck. My queens is going to kill me. But if I must die, this will be the way to spend my last hours on earth._

Rhaenys smiled at him mischievously, as she saw her cock twitch before she even touched him. He watched in awe once more as she single-mindedly and enthusiastically pleasured him with her beautiful mouth. His hips sway right along with her until he felt himself ready to release.

"Rhaenys, I'm close, I can come on my stomach," he hissed, desperate to hold off to keep from spilling in her mouth. But she didn't listen and continued onwards, as Rhaenys went to lick the tip of his head and then hold eye contact as she once again took all of him in her mouth, sucking vigorously until he lost control and erupted. She swallowed my seed while he groaned with pleasure.

Once the aftershocks faded away, Aegon pull her close to him and embraced each other. Rhaenys smiled proudly as she should, for she still had it. Aegon kissed her forehead before he began kissing down her body. And when he reached her core, he took his time slowly building up her pleasure. He thought about how desperate he was to bury his cock in her entrance instead of my tongue and fingers, for that was what was denied to him after a while she and Visenya were fighting in the Vale.

After Rhaenys came a second time, she begged him to stop. She was exhausted and needed to catch her breath and conserve her energy. They lay quietly next to each other, as Rhaenys snuggled in his arms and Aegon used his free hand rub her back.

But after a moment, they were ready to go again. Without a word, he closed the small gap between them and pulled her against him, gathering her in his arms. She tilted her face up to look at him, and he returned her gaze. One hand went to cup her cheek again. Rhaenys closed her eyes, reveling in the roughness of his skin as he swept his thumb over her cheekbone. In the end, his lips came down on hers, his tongue begging entrance to her mouth once more, and she let him in. It was the sweetest, most honest moment she had ever shared with him, and one that she never intended to forget

In that moment, Aegon could swear that their kiss rang true like Valyrian steel and laid them bare to one another.  
Rhaenys returned his kiss, wrapping her arms about his neck, tangling her fingers in the dark, curly hair that hung over his collar. When they broke the kiss, they rested their foreheads together, eyes closed, both feeling as they always felt for each other, two perfect halves coalescing. This was something strong and true, unlike anything else either of them had ever felt; something unbreakable.  
Everywhere he kissed, he left a trail of liquid fire on her skin. Rhaenys felt, perhaps, Aegon's kiss was the one fire, alone, she was vulnerable to. A small moan escaped her as he sucked on a particularly tender bit of flesh below her ear; he responded by picking her up and gathering her into his arms. She wrapped her legs around his hips and held onto his neck as she mounted him like Meraxes, feeling his hardness growing as with each step her molten core rubbed against him through his leather breeches.  
He laid back as she looked down at him, eyes nearly black her irises were so dilated at the pleasure of looking at him. She ran her hands up his sides, over his ribs, her thumbs coming together over his abs, wandering over the deepr muscles and to his hips, then. Rhaenys heard herself draw in a breath as she looked at the gift he offered her again, her lips slightly parted in anticipation of the rest of the night to come.  
Aegon looked down, meeting her hungry violet eyes, and he was undone. Straddling his thigh, the feeling of her heated flesh on his made him never want to leave this bed, never want to feel clothes or distance between their bodies again.

Their kisses began anew, as if it was the first time they'd ever tasted one another. Aegon allowed Rhaenys to set the pace, to be the aggressor, his lips drawn to hers like a moth to a flame. She is the dragon, the expert rider of both Meraxes and himself. Her hands roved his naked flesh, stroking the pads of muscle over his ribs, learning the lines of his honed stomach.  
When he could take it no more, he rolled taking her with him, supporting his weight on his forearms, his lips never leaving hers, but careful not to press so hard. His hips sliding between her own, he found her molten center and guided himself to her entrance, thrusting deeply and burying himself in her sweet heat.

_Gods_, he thought he would spill almost right away, as Rhaenys reminded him that she was wet for him. She felt a rush of helplessness, a sinking yielding, a surging tide of warmth that left her boneless. He wanted nothing so desperately as to taste her. The sweetness of her breath, the softness of her lips, the saltiness of her skin. So, he did, licking her full lips in between kisses and thrusting into her sharply like some kind of wild animal.  
Rhaenys was no longer a newly and unwillingly married maid, nor was she a novice in the ways of love. She only knew Aegon, and that was enough for her.

Aegon drew in a deep, ragged breath, feeling as though his heart might burst. Reminded very strong in this moment, buried deep inside Rhaenys, Aegon felt a sense of completeness and belonging. He kissed her again, a greater sense of urgency now spurring his actions. Her hips rose to meet his every thrust, as though she couldn't get him deep enough inside her. Their movements became less controlled, more animalistic, almost desperate as they chased their pleasure. Her hand wound around his bicep, then his shoulder, nails biting into muscle and flesh. He caught her lower lip between his teeth, pulling at it gently.  
Low, soft cries came now on her every exhalation of breath. He planted within her a seed of ecstasy, which began first as a tiny pulse, growing more intense with each stroke until it burst. His pubic bone grinding against her engorged bud sent her over the edge. A rainbow of color burst beneath her eyelids, sunshine spread through her veins, and she rode wave after wave of pleasure which touched every nerve end in her body until she was a trembling, liquid mess in his arms.  
Aegon's own pleasure came soon after, a fiery torrent of rapture which poured from his heart to his balls, then spread through his body, exploding like an inferno. He continued to move, more tenderly now, an incoherent attempt to draw out their pleasure. He felt himself slowly sinking into a velvet pit, going willingly, being consumed by it and never wanting to come up out of it.  
After the waves of pleasure had subsided, they lay facing one another in the big bed once more, tangled with one another and the thin sheets. No words were said, for there were none necessary.

It was then and there that Aegon began to reflect on what was going on elsewhere. Ashford had fallen and a good portion of the northern Reach was in their hands, but they still had to face tens of thousands of men sworn to Mern Gardener and Loren Lannister. Many of the lords and men who fought alongside them were getting exhausted, for there was only so much that the troops can take before they would miss peace and seek home.

But fortune was clearly coming onto their side. Orys had just defeated a major Redwyne fleet right in front of the Arbor and their father's dragon Vermidrexes had effectively cut off that island from the rest of the Reach, for any ship that tried to relieve House Redwyne would be burned. More importantly, the sea approach to Oldtown was open and the failure of the ironborn and Redwyne vessels to cooperate with each other had come back to haunt the alliance against them.

And that was only the beginning of the good news. Rhaenys and Visenya were able to subjugate the Vale and more than fifteen thousand Valemen had defected, considerably improving their numbers. This in turn allowed Lord Blackwood to focus solely on the south, since there were no more threats to the north of the riverlands, and thus freeing up thousands of riverlanders. In total, thirty thousand reinforcements were coming.

But Rhaenys and Visenya were both impatient at seeing their husbands again, so they left Brandon Snow and the Mormont sisters to oversee the advance southwards while they flew on their dragons to their camp not far from Cider Hall. It was then that Rhaenys told Aegon about the wager and they both decided to go straight to the lovemaking.

Of course, none of them could tell who was winning, for they were so immersed in their lovemaking that they couldn't afford to pay attention to the other couple. All Aegon knew was there would be much bickering on who won and who lost, and who would read the letters sent to the Vale by Lord Kenzou.

"What are you thinking about, Egg?" Rhaenys whispered.

"Just how this would end for all of us ," Aegon answered. "Many things are going our way, but many things could also go wrong."

"What do you mean?" she became curious.

"Jae's got something planned with Lord Reyne. That man is not someone that we can trust immediately, but Jae is confident that his scheme will work."

"What exactly does Jae have in mind?"

Aegon outlined to Rhaenys, in full detail, what Jaenyx was about to do with the Lord of Castamere. It involved a lot of craftiness and subterfuge on the part of their goodbrother and master of whisperers, both of which he had no trouble with. However, his willingness to commit very slippery tactics got especially the northern houses whispering. Even Lord Bolton, who was usually very reserved and calm, was offput by Jaenyx's mind. Already, people were referring to their goodbrother as the "snake dragon," for no one could predict what he would do next.

"Snake dragon… couldn't they have come up with something more original?" Rhaenys groaned. Aegon chuckled, for that was his exact thought.

"They're just scared. Lord Torrhen told me that while Lord Snow was unpredictable in his own way, Brandon always followed a set of rules. Jaenyx doesn't seem to do that."

"He marches to the own beat of his drum. Nothing wrong with that, and we all want him to do so," Rhaenys said in support of Jaenyx.

"I just hope that whatever he's planning will work."

Just then, their mother entered their tent. She looked as energetic as ever, especially after egging the stormlanders to Ashford and towards their camp, where the armies in the south had finally combined. "I hear you and Vis got a wager going on who will be the loudest in lovemaking."

"Muña, it was just for fun," Rhaenys told her.

"Well… you're not winning it. Everyone can hear Jae and Vis going at it. While you two sound tender, they're sounding like a pack of animals roaring at each other. On the other hand, I don't any of you can beat me and your father."

Aegon looked at their mother, surprised. "What are you saying?"

Valaena gave them both a mischievous smile. "I think I'll join this one. Seems to me that my children are having all of the fun, so I should partake in it also."

Rhaenys raised an eyebrow. "You sure about that?"

"Absolutely, Rhae," Valaena kept her grin. "So… I will just go to Jaenyx's tent and break the news. The wager will not be won tonight by either of you." With that, she left. Aegon and Rhaenys chuckled with one another, for they both acknowledged that they got their fiery side from her as much as their father.

"Well… better start practicing then," Rhaenys challenged Aegon.

He immediately sought out her engorged clit, and finding it, he worked his thumb back and forth over it until she was writhing beneath him, a string of incoherent words escaping her lips on a breathy moan.  
He slid his body between her legs, grasping her thighs and pushing them roughly open. Her eyes flew open and she tried to sit up, but he held her fast. Her eyes met his, and he held her gaze, also gifting her with a wicked grin. "What are you doing?" she asked breathlessly, sounding a bit alarmed.  
"I'm going to show you just how good I can be at this," he answered, his voice thick and husky with lust.  
"What do you mean? There?" she asked, her eyes wide. had sometimes touched her there, as Aegon had done with his thumb to hasten her pleasure, but she had never even considered the possibility of a man putting his mouth on her there. The idea was shocking to her.  
As though she had dared him, he bent his head and placed a soft kiss on her mons, keeping his dark eyes on hers, curious to see her response.

To Rhaenys, this was the single most pleasurable thing she had ever experienced. She had propped herself up on her elbows, and sat watching him, uncertain what he'd do next.  
Aegon used his thumbs to gently part her nether lips, and he heard her sharp intake of breath when he placed his mouth on her. She tasted both sweet and tangy, like a candied violet he'd once been given as a child. He lapped at her folds, alternately dragging his tongue from the bottom of her cleft to the top and flicking his tongue slowly over her clit in feather light strokes. Her hand came down to tangle in his hair, and it wasn't long before her thighs began to quake around his face.

Aegon couldn't have stopped, even if he'd wanted to. She tasted so good, and he was so turned on by the harsh cries escaping from her throat, the way she writhed beneath him and dug her nails into his scalp.  
She came with a rush of moisture, coating his lips. Aegon felt her clit pulsing beneath his lips, and did his best to drink her juices, not wanting to waste a drop of Rhaenys. A satisfied groan reverberated in his chest, as he increased his grip on her hips and buried his tongue as deep inside her as it would go.

He'd growled out to her that he was getting close, going to come, fully prepared to pull out and spill his seed on her firm, white belly but she had held him fast, hooking her powerful legs around his ass as his cock pulsed his essence deep within her.

A secondary wave of pleasure overtook her, and her body shook with the force of her orgasm. Aegon stayed between her legs lightly licking and kissing her clit, her body drawn taut as a bowstring as she rode out the ecstasy, bucking her hips up into his face until the last of the aftershocks had passed and she finally melted into a boneless puddle on the sheets.  
He lay listening to her quiet, even breathing; the fact that he'd found no pleasure long forgotten. His mind was extremely weary, but also extremely busy. He did not fully understand what made him become more eager for Rhaenys other than his longing for her after so long of her campaigning in the Vale, only that he could not bear to be parted from her ever again. _Letters are insufficient to sate my desire and need for her_.

At the same time, Aegon couldn't shake the feeling that was on his mind again. Something was telling him that the timing was awful. The army of the Faith was marching on them and were not done yet. Loren Lannister was a foe to take very seriously and could very well undermine what Jaenyx had planned with Lord Reyne.

_No, no. Believe, _Aegon reminded himself. He might not have been pessimistic, but Rhaenys had done much to make him more optimistic and the happiness in their family, especially with the coming of their child, softened him considerably.

His thoughts then turned to the babe of silver hair and purple eyes that they would spoil no matter what. Whether it be a girl or boy, he was going to love that child forever. And he started to think of the many things that he and Rhaenys would do with their children. He smiled at the thought of that.

**A/N: I intended for this chapter to be the part where everyone catches their breath. A lot of lovemaking and just something light. **

**As I said, some things came up and I am been having some difficulties with the writing lately. But hopefully, that will pass. **

**Next, the action picks up again. **


End file.
